The brothers Dardenne understand how to tell a story without narration. The characters in this movie are strong enough to develop their own lines and short dialogues without commentary. There is no music or sound. The problem of this movie is apparent to "Baran (2001)" but in a different context and country. The style is near to "La Vie de Jésus (1997)" by Bruno Dumont and the hardness of life close to "Seul contre Tous (1998)" by Gaspar Noé. Those last two movies have something more in common: they are situated in the old industrial country of the north of France and the south of Belgium. One could explore a stylistic nearness to Ken Loach but the narration goes deeper. It is the sole existence of mankind who is put into question. Father, why do we live? Igor (Jérémie Rénier) seems to ask continuously to his father Roger (Olivier Gourmet). This film is a good attempt to make something as Belgian social realism without a parade or a revolution by the workers. They seem now to be more isolated (some exception: "Fermeture des usines Renault à Vilvoorde (1998))" and confined to villages with a non-existing working-class. The unemployed seem to have replaced the workers. A strange situation happens when Assita goes to a clairvoyant to know what happened with Amadou and the answer will be as cryptic as the situation wherein she is. Is the promise that Igor made (in fact it was his father) so important? The movie seems to suggest that a 14-year old boy could change the situation and ameliorate the fate of Assita. The real problem is that illegal immigration is a crime that has many consequences and at least it creates innumerable problems when something happens and it is a waste for the society and what more is, it puts the illegal workers into great danger because they come into the hands of people without conscience or humanity.
Review of The Promise
