This is one of those films that, the less you know about it in advance, the more you are likely to appreciate it - which makes reviewing it a little problematic. All you really need to know is that it's French and excellent. But you might like to know that it's a wonderful vehicle for Kristin Scott Thomas, the British actress married to a Frenchman, who plays Juliette, an Anglo-French woman with some dark and painful secrets which only slowly unfold as the narrative takes its traumatic course. The movie opens and closes with close-ups of her haunted face and, in between, she is rarely off the screen in a marvellously nuanced performance, well supported by Elsa Zylberstein who plays her younger sister Léa. Written and directed by Philippe Claudel, this is French movie-making at its best.
119 Reviews
There's no excuse for death
Il y a longtemps que je t'aime
jaredmobarak1 January 2009
Warning: Spoilers
From the start, you know that there has to be some kind of huge revelation at the end; everything builds towards that outcome. I'm not saying that the film is slight or contains a simple storyline, but rather it is a very well constructed narrative building tension until its inevitable release. That discovery could either be tragic or redemptive and the push and pull stays with you as you wait for it, unknowing which option will win out. Here is a woman who has spent the past fifteen years in prison for killing her son and now she is in her sister's house with two young children. That sibling, Léa, believes Juliette to be fine and wanting to be part of civilization again, but her husband Luc has other ideas, mainly a fear to leave his kids alone with her. Juliette is a total wildcardso ambivalent and even at times meanthat you wouldn't be surprised if she made his worst nightmare come true.
And that is pretty much the story at hand. Can this woman, back from prison, live her life again? No one knows what really happened those fifteen years ago, she is tightlipped right from the psychological review taken at her trial to now and everyone else is too afraid to ask. The guilt of what she has done is eating away at her, and truth be told, Kristen Scott Thomas portrays it to perfection. Her eyes are sad throughout, even when those few instances of a smile creep onto her face. The tragedy weighs heavy on her heart and the secret everyone is keeping just exacerbates it even more. Told she has been traveling to the children and that she was living in the south to her sister's colleagues, no one knows why this woman was hidden from them all. It is a tense moment at a dinner party when the secret finally appears as though it will be spilled. The reaction from all, juxtaposed with Juliette's, Léa's, Luc's, and a friend Marcel's faces, just shows how preconceptions can rule anyone's thought process. Looking back now, I have to say that Thomas is most deserving of any awards being strewn about for actresses this season. With my surprise front-runner being Anne Hathaway previously, I'll just say that Thomas, someone else I've never really held a high affinity for, has leapfrogged into the lead.
It's tough to say much more about the story then what has already been spoken, as I do not want to ruin the ending. Everything that happensevery relationship, misguided fear, surprise sign of love, and rough moments only bringing to light tragic memoriesbuilds to the final scene, that final confrontation between sisters, once and for all opening their eyes to the bond between them and the events that transpired to tear them apart. Instead, I can only give more acclaim to the rest of this French-speaking cast. My favorite supporting player is Laurent Grévill's Marcel, an older teacher friend of Léa's that becomes smitten with Juliette. He is a secretive man himself with a past that he hides from those around him and proves to be the perfect person to help her break free of her past, to realize that she is "still here". Mention needs to also be made for Elsa Zylberstein and Serge Hazanavicius as Léa and Luc. Hazanavicius is nice as the husband still unsure about having a murderer living in the house with his children who slowly finds his heart thaw as he witnesses the joy those young ones receive from her. Zylberstein shines in multiple instances, as she herself must reconcile her feelings of rediscovering this woman who has been out of her life for so long. Told by her parents to forget her sister ever existed, Léa never gave up hope or erased this person that was such a huge part of her life. When she must explain the process she went through to settle on an occupation to pursue in school, or why she adopted her children, the emotion and realism comes out strong. I think her most memorable scene involves a debate with students about Dostoyevsky and whether a masterpiece of literature can truly be the end-all be-all on a subject such as murder. Here is a woman that has a murderer as close to her as one can, and to be able to speak of that fact in literary terms despite her own personal experiences is impossible.
I've Loved You So Long is a film that digs in and doesn't let go until the final frame. Tough subject matter and events that go into some pretty dark places may turn some people off, but it is all handled so perfectly that its overall strength hinges on those moments. Powerful throughout, Thomas embodies this broken creature attempting to mend her wings to continue on with her life. She may never be able to be the successfully married doctor and mother she was, but if she can get back to a place where her guilt and self-loathing disappears, she has a chance to live happily with a family she didn't know would still be there after everything that had happened.
And that is pretty much the story at hand. Can this woman, back from prison, live her life again? No one knows what really happened those fifteen years ago, she is tightlipped right from the psychological review taken at her trial to now and everyone else is too afraid to ask. The guilt of what she has done is eating away at her, and truth be told, Kristen Scott Thomas portrays it to perfection. Her eyes are sad throughout, even when those few instances of a smile creep onto her face. The tragedy weighs heavy on her heart and the secret everyone is keeping just exacerbates it even more. Told she has been traveling to the children and that she was living in the south to her sister's colleagues, no one knows why this woman was hidden from them all. It is a tense moment at a dinner party when the secret finally appears as though it will be spilled. The reaction from all, juxtaposed with Juliette's, Léa's, Luc's, and a friend Marcel's faces, just shows how preconceptions can rule anyone's thought process. Looking back now, I have to say that Thomas is most deserving of any awards being strewn about for actresses this season. With my surprise front-runner being Anne Hathaway previously, I'll just say that Thomas, someone else I've never really held a high affinity for, has leapfrogged into the lead.
It's tough to say much more about the story then what has already been spoken, as I do not want to ruin the ending. Everything that happensevery relationship, misguided fear, surprise sign of love, and rough moments only bringing to light tragic memoriesbuilds to the final scene, that final confrontation between sisters, once and for all opening their eyes to the bond between them and the events that transpired to tear them apart. Instead, I can only give more acclaim to the rest of this French-speaking cast. My favorite supporting player is Laurent Grévill's Marcel, an older teacher friend of Léa's that becomes smitten with Juliette. He is a secretive man himself with a past that he hides from those around him and proves to be the perfect person to help her break free of her past, to realize that she is "still here". Mention needs to also be made for Elsa Zylberstein and Serge Hazanavicius as Léa and Luc. Hazanavicius is nice as the husband still unsure about having a murderer living in the house with his children who slowly finds his heart thaw as he witnesses the joy those young ones receive from her. Zylberstein shines in multiple instances, as she herself must reconcile her feelings of rediscovering this woman who has been out of her life for so long. Told by her parents to forget her sister ever existed, Léa never gave up hope or erased this person that was such a huge part of her life. When she must explain the process she went through to settle on an occupation to pursue in school, or why she adopted her children, the emotion and realism comes out strong. I think her most memorable scene involves a debate with students about Dostoyevsky and whether a masterpiece of literature can truly be the end-all be-all on a subject such as murder. Here is a woman that has a murderer as close to her as one can, and to be able to speak of that fact in literary terms despite her own personal experiences is impossible.
I've Loved You So Long is a film that digs in and doesn't let go until the final frame. Tough subject matter and events that go into some pretty dark places may turn some people off, but it is all handled so perfectly that its overall strength hinges on those moments. Powerful throughout, Thomas embodies this broken creature attempting to mend her wings to continue on with her life. She may never be able to be the successfully married doctor and mother she was, but if she can get back to a place where her guilt and self-loathing disappears, she has a chance to live happily with a family she didn't know would still be there after everything that had happened.
Touching, Heartbreaking, Sensitive, and One of the Best Dramas I Have Recently Seen
claudio_carvalho3 July 2010
After fifteen years in prison for murdering her son Pierre, the former medical doctor Juliette Fontaine (Kristin Scott Thomas) travels to Lorraine to live on probation with her younger sister Léa (Elsa Zylberstein) and her family. The bitter, introspective and reclusive Juliette has spent her sentence without any visitor and totally forgotten by her family and now she has problem to interact with her brother-in-law Luc (Serge Hazanavicius) and her nieces. She has to visit every other week her probation officer Captain Fauré (Frédéric Pierrot) and seeks a job position to rebuild her life. As days go by, Juliette gets closer to the family of her sister and befriends Luc and Léa's friends, specially Lea's colleague Michel (Lauren Grevill). She slowly changes her behavior until the day Léa discovers the truth about the death of Pierre.
"Il y a Longtemps Que Je t'Aime" is touching, heartbreaking, sensitive and one of the best dramas I have recently seen. The outstanding performance of Kristin Scott Thomas deserved at least a nomination to the Oscar if this award were serious and this is a good example why I do not watch the Oscar ceremony anymore. The screenplay and debut in the direction of Philippe Claudel is awesome, slowly unfolding the leading character Juliette Fontaine and keeping the interest along the narrative. The also excellent Elsa Zylberstein has top-notch performance and really resembles Kristin Scott Thomas, giving credibility to the role of sister. I have really loved this magnificent film. My vote is nine.
Title (Brazil): "Há Tanto Tempo Que Te Amo" ("For So Long I Have Loved You")
"Il y a Longtemps Que Je t'Aime" is touching, heartbreaking, sensitive and one of the best dramas I have recently seen. The outstanding performance of Kristin Scott Thomas deserved at least a nomination to the Oscar if this award were serious and this is a good example why I do not watch the Oscar ceremony anymore. The screenplay and debut in the direction of Philippe Claudel is awesome, slowly unfolding the leading character Juliette Fontaine and keeping the interest along the narrative. The also excellent Elsa Zylberstein has top-notch performance and really resembles Kristin Scott Thomas, giving credibility to the role of sister. I have really loved this magnificent film. My vote is nine.
Title (Brazil): "Há Tanto Tempo Que Te Amo" ("For So Long I Have Loved You")
Excellent
AndrewPhillips5 October 2008
This film has been crafted almost to perfection, the touch used is delicate and very realistic. It is interesting that such a slow pace should be so engrossing but it is. Thanks I think to the brilliant acting from everyone. Kirstin Scott Thomas stands out for such an understated performance, that when she does towards the end of the film show such deep emotion you are blown away. Her co stars do a great job keeping up with her, specifically Elsa Zylberstein playing her sister,the woman can cry on demand a face full of expression. Frederic Pierrot as the policeman, whose brilliance is only realised at the end of his part of the story. Jean Claude Arnaud as the grandfather, who without saying a word through the whole film is masterful. There could be a danger that this film is seen as a trudge through human emotion but I can assure you it is more than that. You will leave the cinema for filled and uplifted by the whole experience.
Full of pathos and charm
sshendy7 January 2009
While I've never been such a Philistine as to decline to see a film because it is in an unknown language and I'd have to read the subtitles, there is usually a sense of emotional distance when you have to read the words yourself. In the case of 'I've Loved You So Long', I felt no such distance. Indeed, this is the first time I've cried in a movie since... I don't know when. Sure, I am a callous bastard, but I often find myself moved by a film, only, rarely do I find myself as moved as I was by this one.
'I've Loved You So Long' focuses on the story of Juliette Fontaine coming from prison to live with her sister, who was a young adolescent when she was incarcerated. The tensions of living with an extended family are exacerbated by Juliette's personality, which it is accepted is altered by her time in gaol. Philippe Claudel's story is beautifully structured to release just as much information as is necessary to keep you interested, while retaining just enough mystery to keep you on the edge of your seat.
I have never seen a French film that I haven't liked, but I have also never seen a French film of this calibre. It is an outstanding piece of storytelling, full of pathos and charm.
'I've Loved You So Long' focuses on the story of Juliette Fontaine coming from prison to live with her sister, who was a young adolescent when she was incarcerated. The tensions of living with an extended family are exacerbated by Juliette's personality, which it is accepted is altered by her time in gaol. Philippe Claudel's story is beautifully structured to release just as much information as is necessary to keep you interested, while retaining just enough mystery to keep you on the edge of your seat.
I have never seen a French film that I haven't liked, but I have also never seen a French film of this calibre. It is an outstanding piece of storytelling, full of pathos and charm.
A Brilliant Film on Every Level
gradyharp8 March 2009
I'VE LOVED YOU SO LONG ('Il y a longtemps que je t'aime) is novelist Phillipe Claudel's first screenplay (he also serves as director). If this film is an indication of the themes and stories he has to tell then a new and gifted artist has come our way. Claudel knows how to take his audience along what appears to be a very quiet film while at the same time drawing the viewer into a story that feels like quicksand, so surely and gradually is the powerful element of the story revealed.
Juliette (a radiantly gifted Kristin Scott Thomas) has been imprisoned for murder for fifteen years and is released to the care of her emotionally estranged sister Léa (Elsa Zylberstein): when young physician Juliette was quietly sentenced to prison, the sisters' parents disowned Juliette and raised Léa as an only child, refusing to allow her to communicate with her older sister. Léa is now married to Luc (Serge Hazanavicius) and the couple has adopted tow Vietnamese girls: Léa did not want to give birth to a child (an early clue as to the horrors revealed ahead). Juliette is practically mute, so seldom does she converse, and Luc is worried about having Juliette in his house: the 'murder' for which Juliette uncontestedly was imprisoned was her six year old son.
Juliette meets with her parole officer Capitaine Fauré (Frédéric Pierrot) who is supportive and shares Juliette's view of the world. She is interviewed and denied jobs because of her crime, but meets a few people with whom she can connect - especially the kindly Michel (Laurent Grévill). Gradually Juliette warms to her sister's family and to Léa to whom she tells the tragic facts of her past, facts that allow us to realize why Juliette is such a damaged creature.
The profound acting performance by Kristen Scott Thomas is a wonder to watch. The entire cast to very fine but Scott Thomas is riveting in a story that in another's hands would not have gained our empathy to the extent she achieves. There is much social commentary in this film with many levels of meaning that only become apparent after the film is over. It is a stunning masterpiece and deserves the attention of everyone who appreciates quality cinema. In French with English subtitles. Grady Harp
Juliette (a radiantly gifted Kristin Scott Thomas) has been imprisoned for murder for fifteen years and is released to the care of her emotionally estranged sister Léa (Elsa Zylberstein): when young physician Juliette was quietly sentenced to prison, the sisters' parents disowned Juliette and raised Léa as an only child, refusing to allow her to communicate with her older sister. Léa is now married to Luc (Serge Hazanavicius) and the couple has adopted tow Vietnamese girls: Léa did not want to give birth to a child (an early clue as to the horrors revealed ahead). Juliette is practically mute, so seldom does she converse, and Luc is worried about having Juliette in his house: the 'murder' for which Juliette uncontestedly was imprisoned was her six year old son.
Juliette meets with her parole officer Capitaine Fauré (Frédéric Pierrot) who is supportive and shares Juliette's view of the world. She is interviewed and denied jobs because of her crime, but meets a few people with whom she can connect - especially the kindly Michel (Laurent Grévill). Gradually Juliette warms to her sister's family and to Léa to whom she tells the tragic facts of her past, facts that allow us to realize why Juliette is such a damaged creature.
The profound acting performance by Kristen Scott Thomas is a wonder to watch. The entire cast to very fine but Scott Thomas is riveting in a story that in another's hands would not have gained our empathy to the extent she achieves. There is much social commentary in this film with many levels of meaning that only become apparent after the film is over. It is a stunning masterpiece and deserves the attention of everyone who appreciates quality cinema. In French with English subtitles. Grady Harp
Quietly Exploding
janemullinsuk15 October 2008
Looking at Kristen Scott Thomas I thought of Julie Christie, Ingrid Bergman, Helen Mirren, Liv Ullman and a number of other actresses that managed to be transparent on the screen. Transparent in the best sense of the word, meaning we could actually see the invisible. Two sisters, a husband, two adopted Asian girls and a past, a recent past an overwhelming past painted black but with a white coat of compassion. Fame novelist turned film director Philip Claudel's debut is surprising to say the least.His assured hand and sensibility makes me want to see his next opus with a certain amount of trepidation. Scott Thomas's performance is among the very best I've seen all year.
Wonderful
kil-1014 September 2008
Just had the pleasure of seeing this movie in a cinema and I can wholeheartedly recommend it.
The movie touches several very sensitive subjects in a careful and a non-judging way; it left me thinking deeply about the rules of our society, and what happens if one falls through the raster; if what one has done does not fit into the view of the majority and one's actions are not compatible with the rules that society has given itself.
There are scenes that made me laugh, others leaving me absorbed in thought, all the while realising: this is life as it is, sometimes wonderful, sometimes brutal and sad.
The acting is brilliant in my view, the film lives from Kristin Scott Thomas and Elsa Zylberstein, both seem to be made for the characters they play while the rest of the cast, even for the smallest part, seems to have been carefully picked as well. Both actors and director describe the making of the movie as a very interesting experience, something I don't doubt at all after seeing it.
If you get a chance to see the movie, do it. It's worth it.
The movie touches several very sensitive subjects in a careful and a non-judging way; it left me thinking deeply about the rules of our society, and what happens if one falls through the raster; if what one has done does not fit into the view of the majority and one's actions are not compatible with the rules that society has given itself.
There are scenes that made me laugh, others leaving me absorbed in thought, all the while realising: this is life as it is, sometimes wonderful, sometimes brutal and sad.
The acting is brilliant in my view, the film lives from Kristin Scott Thomas and Elsa Zylberstein, both seem to be made for the characters they play while the rest of the cast, even for the smallest part, seems to have been carefully picked as well. Both actors and director describe the making of the movie as a very interesting experience, something I don't doubt at all after seeing it.
If you get a chance to see the movie, do it. It's worth it.
A Movie of Great Depth & Brilliance!
Sylviastel10 May 2013
Kristin Scott-Thomas OBE is a British born and raised actress who is also fluent in French and lives in France with her family does an amazing performance as a paroled criminal. She plays Juliette with an understatement. She doesn't ham it up or overdue it. Her performance is subtle yet mesmerizing to the viewer here. She comes across as a native French speaker without a hint of English. In this film, Juliette is reunited with her estranged sister, a college professor in Nancy, France. Her sister lives with her husband, Luc, his father, and two adopted Vietnamese daughters. When Juliette starts her life in Nancy, she doesn't talk about the crime, an unspeakable act. There are reasons and motives to justify her actions which are explained in the conclusion which wasn't unpredictable. Juliette has been estranged from her mother and family for fifteen years. Many of her sisters' friends were unaware of her existence. The sisters with Elsa Zylberstein look, act and feel like sisters to the audience. It's a heartbreaking film overall.
Moving Forwards
i-burgess14 October 2008
I found that this film stayed with me for a few days after I'd seen it. The film shows some strange behaviours which are resolved as the story unfolds (e.g., the initial attitude of the brother-in-law which seems both heartless towards his sister-in-law and insensitive towards his wife). The portrayal of the relationship of the sisters is well done while the development of the relationship between Scott-Thomas and Greville is beautifully drawn - in a way that only French directors manage; the smallest gestures having deep meaning. I thought the direction of the older child was nothing short of outstanding - that is how articulate 7 to 8 year old children behave. I think that this is a life-affirming film despite the obvious losses. There is both a literal and symbolic birth.
This movie hits the emotional spot with great precision.
bart-depoortere4 April 2008
This movie succeeds in presenting believable characters through life-like dialogs and superior acting. Despite its heavy emotional load, it never degrades into a tear-jerker. Perhaps it makes a difference whether you are a parent yourself as a viewer, I could not tell, but after returning home, I did feel like giving the kids a loving cuddle. This movie will linger for a while in my mind. It seems to me that Philippe Claudel is not just a very observing novelist, but also a good director, capable of a lot of empathy with the human condition. Anyone looking for light entertainment should stay out of the movie theater where this movie is playing, but if you are interested in a subtle emphatic presentation of characters, you should not miss this.
Understated brilliance
richard-196716 December 2008
Oliver Stone fans beware: This movie doesn't knock you over the head. Everything is understated, from the screenplay, to the way the movie is shot, to the understated performances. Best is the Oscar-winning (that's a prediction!) Kirsten Scott-Thomas. Her nuanced and deep performance says so much more about her character than any other mode of presentation.
It's interesting that KST has done better with her French roles than her English-speaking ones. Perhaps it's the nature of her material. Perhaps it's that as a second language, French allows her face and body to do much of the acting. The subtle changes in her character from beginning to end is as nuanced as the movie, but discernible and clear, made more believable by the way KST takes us there.
As for the closing denouement, without spoiling: Does it really matter why she was gone, what she did, or why she did it? This film rightly focused us on her as a person with a past, rather than what the past was.
Il y'a longtemps que j'ai vu un film francais si bon!
It's interesting that KST has done better with her French roles than her English-speaking ones. Perhaps it's the nature of her material. Perhaps it's that as a second language, French allows her face and body to do much of the acting. The subtle changes in her character from beginning to end is as nuanced as the movie, but discernible and clear, made more believable by the way KST takes us there.
As for the closing denouement, without spoiling: Does it really matter why she was gone, what she did, or why she did it? This film rightly focused us on her as a person with a past, rather than what the past was.
Il y'a longtemps que j'ai vu un film francais si bon!
You must see this film if you consider yourself a lover of great art.
arlendean22 October 2008
Claudel provides a lesson for American film makers and a lasting pleasure for the audience. The cast is evenly excellent with Kristin Scott Thomas and Elsa Zylberstein the personifications of things felt and not said to siblings. It is such a pleasure to watch actors and actresses who look like people instead of an eight by ten glossy of themselves. Serge Hazanaviciius, Laurent Grevil, Frederic Pierrot, Jean-Claude Amaud and little Lise Se'gur form a perfect framework for the two stars. With no special effects and little background music, the viewer can concentrate on the slow peeling of layer after layer of revelation. The beauty revealed at its core is the result of action, not an attempt to tie up loose ends nor a deus ex machina. Snar
Is this Scott Thomas's greatest role?
rogerkuin21 April 2008
This may be the film that makes Kristin Scott Thomas's reputation as not a good actress but a great one. It is a French film, and one has to accept the parameters of French 'intimisme'; as such it is wonderful. It is not a question of being a parent or not: it's a question of being ready or not to be swept out of one's daily self by great acting. Elsa Zylberstein is a fine actress (I remember her with affection in 'Farinelli'), but Scott Thomas here surpasses anything she has done before. She is capable, we knew, of making herself nearly ugly ('Angels and Insects'); she can do understated sensitivity ('Four Weddings and a Funeral'); here she gets a part of the emotional power of a Medea or a Phaedra and plays it with the let-it-rip force of a great tragédienne. The film is a vehicle for an actress, and none the worse for that. It is not unworthy of her, and that may be the best one can say of Claudel's work; but that may just be enough. There was a curiously fugitive quality to KST's interviews about this film: one got the impression she didn't really want to talk about it in more than mundane depth. One can see why. It all goes very near the bone. She may want to do a sheer glorious comedy next, just to remind us all of the blithe side of her nature. Long may she live, and work.
A seriously deep and moving film
ikanboy18 January 2009
Warning: Spoilers
Those who have read reviews of this wonderful movie will know what it's about. Those of you who don't want to know had better pass on reading on. There is no way to talk of this movie without jumping into that which drives it. K.Scott Thomas plays Juliette, a woman just released from prison for murder. She goes to live with her sister and her family; a leery husband and 2 adopted Vietnamese children. The movie gets us into the plot slowly, and it reveals itself at a leisurely pace. But there is nothing leisurely about the tension it builds as we watch Juliette reluctantly adapt to freedom with pent up emotion that seems like anger, or fear. She snaps at her niece almost immediately - and it takes us almost the whole movie to find out why - leaving the audience to wonder about the wiseness of her sister's decision. But she soon shows herself to be quite controlled, too controlled, and insular.
When we find out who she murdered we are even more cautious about where the movie will take us, and it keeps us wondering and hoping, and dreading throughout. Hoping we can forgive her, and dreading that we won't be able to, and wondering when and if the movie will reveal the ultimate question. Why? But ultimately this film is not about why, it's about the choices Juliette decided to make. Not in committing murder, but in keeping secret the facts that could redeem her. I am reminded of the other recent movie about a similar theme: "The Reader" which also looked at how someone chooses to take within themselves their own trial, and become their own judge and jury, and keep out those who will judge as well as those who might soften the shattered spirit.
Scott Thomas is powerful and gives a heart rending performance, and is wonderfully partnered by Elas Zilberstein as her sister Lea, who decides against all her parents wishes, as well as her husband's anxious judgment, to give her sister a loving nest in which to decide whether to heal or stay broken.
****************SPOILER*********************************** I'm glad that the movie was so well crafted that it is only in retrospect that it's plot line shows it's major crack. There is no way Juliette's motive would have not been revealed. Ask the simple question: why would a mother, who is a doctor, administer a fatal injection to her 6 year old son. Any lawyer, any detective, almost anyone would know why.
When we find out who she murdered we are even more cautious about where the movie will take us, and it keeps us wondering and hoping, and dreading throughout. Hoping we can forgive her, and dreading that we won't be able to, and wondering when and if the movie will reveal the ultimate question. Why? But ultimately this film is not about why, it's about the choices Juliette decided to make. Not in committing murder, but in keeping secret the facts that could redeem her. I am reminded of the other recent movie about a similar theme: "The Reader" which also looked at how someone chooses to take within themselves their own trial, and become their own judge and jury, and keep out those who will judge as well as those who might soften the shattered spirit.
Scott Thomas is powerful and gives a heart rending performance, and is wonderfully partnered by Elas Zilberstein as her sister Lea, who decides against all her parents wishes, as well as her husband's anxious judgment, to give her sister a loving nest in which to decide whether to heal or stay broken.
****************SPOILER*********************************** I'm glad that the movie was so well crafted that it is only in retrospect that it's plot line shows it's major crack. There is no way Juliette's motive would have not been revealed. Ask the simple question: why would a mother, who is a doctor, administer a fatal injection to her 6 year old son. Any lawyer, any detective, almost anyone would know why.
A different sibling story from "Les soeurs fachees" (2004) but equally engaging
harry_tk_yung11 September 2008
Warning: Spoilers
(brief report from the Toronto International Film Festival)
The last French film I saw surrounding the relationship between two sisters I was "Les soeurs fachees" in the Hong Kong International Film Festival. While was "Les soeurs fachees" is essentially a comedy and "Il y a longtemps que je t'aime" sombre drama, there is poignancy in the former and humour in the latter that afford them a measure of comparability. The bigger difference, however, is that "longtemps" has a definite focus on one of the two sisters. This film has been characterised variously as Kristin Scott Thomas's "career-best" and "career-defining" performance. Elsa Zylberstein's contribution to the film, however, is no less significant. One could even say that she has a more difficult job because her character is less dramatic and therefore more difficult to bring home.
While this film is not intended to be a mystery or suspense, it is structured in such a way as to disseminate the information about the main character Juliette (Thomas) on a "need to know basis", as someone aptly puts it. As this is indeed the best way for the audience to experience this film, I will not spoil it with any details. Suffices to say that the simple plot evolved around what happens following Juliette's release after 15 years in prison (this fact is disclosed 15 minutes into the film), a period when she stays with her younger sister (Zylberstein) who was a teenager when she was convicted and never heard from until two months before her release.
The "suspense" of what happened 15 years ago is no doubt an important element in the film. However, this film is nowhere near to "What ever happened to Baby Jane" (1962). In "longtemps" there is another other equally important premise - how a woman, after spending 15 years in prison with an unspeakable grieve readjusts herself to face the world again. Thomas portrays the transition with impeccable excellence.
While this is the story of an excruciatingly painful journal of a woman, it is well balanced with flashes of humour, which are not merely incidental but also serve to trace Juliette's slow process of freeing herself from her "inner prison". Along the way, there are various people, in fleeting encounters as well as deeper relationships, played by a solid, competent supporting cast. Co-lead Elsa Zylberstein's lovingly wonderful portrayal of the younger sister I have already alluded to.
Rather than becoming a gloomy (albeit well acted) experience, this film softens the agonising story with heart-warming moments, sprinkles of sense of humour and hope in the end. The soft, tender guitar in the background also helps.
The last French film I saw surrounding the relationship between two sisters I was "Les soeurs fachees" in the Hong Kong International Film Festival. While was "Les soeurs fachees" is essentially a comedy and "Il y a longtemps que je t'aime" sombre drama, there is poignancy in the former and humour in the latter that afford them a measure of comparability. The bigger difference, however, is that "longtemps" has a definite focus on one of the two sisters. This film has been characterised variously as Kristin Scott Thomas's "career-best" and "career-defining" performance. Elsa Zylberstein's contribution to the film, however, is no less significant. One could even say that she has a more difficult job because her character is less dramatic and therefore more difficult to bring home.
While this film is not intended to be a mystery or suspense, it is structured in such a way as to disseminate the information about the main character Juliette (Thomas) on a "need to know basis", as someone aptly puts it. As this is indeed the best way for the audience to experience this film, I will not spoil it with any details. Suffices to say that the simple plot evolved around what happens following Juliette's release after 15 years in prison (this fact is disclosed 15 minutes into the film), a period when she stays with her younger sister (Zylberstein) who was a teenager when she was convicted and never heard from until two months before her release.
The "suspense" of what happened 15 years ago is no doubt an important element in the film. However, this film is nowhere near to "What ever happened to Baby Jane" (1962). In "longtemps" there is another other equally important premise - how a woman, after spending 15 years in prison with an unspeakable grieve readjusts herself to face the world again. Thomas portrays the transition with impeccable excellence.
While this is the story of an excruciatingly painful journal of a woman, it is well balanced with flashes of humour, which are not merely incidental but also serve to trace Juliette's slow process of freeing herself from her "inner prison". Along the way, there are various people, in fleeting encounters as well as deeper relationships, played by a solid, competent supporting cast. Co-lead Elsa Zylberstein's lovingly wonderful portrayal of the younger sister I have already alluded to.
Rather than becoming a gloomy (albeit well acted) experience, this film softens the agonising story with heart-warming moments, sprinkles of sense of humour and hope in the end. The soft, tender guitar in the background also helps.
How do the French do it?
cameronteague4 October 2008
Warning: Spoilers
I saw this film last week in London and it is excellent. Juliette (Scott Thomas) has been in prison for 15 years for killing her 6 year old son. She said nothing in her trial and her husband testified against her. Her much younger sister agrees with Social Services to house her and this is the tale of her rehabilitation. So far, so dull as dishwater, I hear you say. However what follows is as mesmerising as it is enchanting. There are some hilarious moments in her harrowing journey back to peace like the policeman to whom she has to report once a fortnight, who is obsessed with visiting the Orinocco and the café stud who reintroduces her to carnality, but there are also some dark, shocking ones, like when she tells a prospective employer why she was sentenced to 15 years or the visit to her mother living with Alzheimer's in a home. This sombre, grey, pallid woman seemingly drained of emotion gradually comes back to life, gaining both colour in her cheeks and an appetite for the daily joys of life. She is helped in no small part by her sister brilliantly played by Elsa Zylberstein who looks like the now departed and beautiful French actress, Claude Jade. The cherry on the cake is the final denouement when we learn why Juliette killed her son. The sense of intimacy between the two sisters and raw emotion is palpable and that is what will stick with me. This is real acting and real characterisation. If today's US film makers tried to make this, it would be sugary pap and if the British did it, it would be chirpy pap. Only French film makers seem to have the kind of dexterity to take what could easily have ended as some cheap self indulgent tearjerker a la Beaches and turn it into a riveting tale and an emotional roller-coaster. Definitely worth an Oscar but unlikely to get one.
Good acting and a touching story
Flowergirl_10612 May 2008
Warning: Spoilers
Il y Longtemps que je t'aime is a simple and beautiful movie about loss, love and life. Kirstin Scott Thomas plays a woman who leaves prison after 15 years. She goes to live with her younger sister, who was only a teenager when she was locked up and now has a whole life with a husband and two children. She now has to find a new place in the world, and acceptance from those around her. Kirsten Scott Thomas gives an excellent performance, and speaks fluent french with only a little bit of an accent. The images are basic and often the actors appear without makeup, which gives the movie a realistic effect.
I personally was moved by the way she tries to find her way, find a job and meets new people. At first she hardly talks, but slowly she starts to remember why life is fun and good. The ending is a happy one, maybe not in the typical way but the characters do find closure. Over all a film that is not outstandingly great, but definitely worth watching especially when you like the french, simple style.
I personally was moved by the way she tries to find her way, find a job and meets new people. At first she hardly talks, but slowly she starts to remember why life is fun and good. The ending is a happy one, maybe not in the typical way but the characters do find closure. Over all a film that is not outstandingly great, but definitely worth watching especially when you like the french, simple style.
Finely crafted and well acted piece
blackburnj-110 January 2009
"I've Loved You So Long" is one of those, increasingly rare, films which moves slowly and carefully, but is utterly involving from the first. It does not worry about its audience getting bored and has the courage not to rush through its story. In return for this, the audience is treated to an excellently made and moving character piece about love, loss and family which never falls into sentiment.
At the heart of the film are two great performances. Kristen Scott Thomas, acting in her second language, delivers a turn which is subtle, enigmatic but not completely indecipherable. The interest that her character creates is fully paid off. She also performs well with Elsa Zylberstein who, like Scott Thomas, delivers a deft performance but with a lot less material to work with. Her character, Léa, is a little underexplored, but Zylberstein more than makes up for this.
The two of them manage to hold their audience's attention, as Philippe Claudel unfolds his story with care. Scott Thomas's Juliette arrives at the beginning of the film, having been away for reasons unknown. Claudel keeps us guessing as to exactly why she has been absent, whilst building a detailed portrait of a wounded woman trying to rebuild her shattered life and trying to conquer seemingly insurmountable obstacles.
The master stroke is the central character of Juliette, who remains fairly ambiguous throughout. One is called at once to dislike those who judge her, but at the same time one is unsure as to whether you should like her. Whilst she will not go down as a classic character, it is a fine example of screen writing and acting.
Whilst the slow pace may not be to everyone's taste, those who enjoy finely crafted and well performed pieces of film will find much to like here. Scott Thomas's performance is certainly worth the admission fee, whilst the film lives up to it.
4 Stars out of 5
At the heart of the film are two great performances. Kristen Scott Thomas, acting in her second language, delivers a turn which is subtle, enigmatic but not completely indecipherable. The interest that her character creates is fully paid off. She also performs well with Elsa Zylberstein who, like Scott Thomas, delivers a deft performance but with a lot less material to work with. Her character, Léa, is a little underexplored, but Zylberstein more than makes up for this.
The two of them manage to hold their audience's attention, as Philippe Claudel unfolds his story with care. Scott Thomas's Juliette arrives at the beginning of the film, having been away for reasons unknown. Claudel keeps us guessing as to exactly why she has been absent, whilst building a detailed portrait of a wounded woman trying to rebuild her shattered life and trying to conquer seemingly insurmountable obstacles.
The master stroke is the central character of Juliette, who remains fairly ambiguous throughout. One is called at once to dislike those who judge her, but at the same time one is unsure as to whether you should like her. Whilst she will not go down as a classic character, it is a fine example of screen writing and acting.
Whilst the slow pace may not be to everyone's taste, those who enjoy finely crafted and well performed pieces of film will find much to like here. Scott Thomas's performance is certainly worth the admission fee, whilst the film lives up to it.
4 Stars out of 5
It's been a long time since I rock n rolled
rooprect24 December 2011
Any Led Zeppelin fans out there? Either way, I wanted to start by drawing attention to the confusing translation of this film's title into English. The French phrase "Il y a longtemps que..." is better translated as "It's been a long time since..." It implies a sense of nostalgia and possible regret or loss. So instead of being called "I've Loved You So Long", it should've probably been "It's Been a Long Time Since I Loved You". Even that translation is imperfect, so you may just have to listen to the Zeppelin song to get what I mean.
Why is this important? Because the entire film is done with a haunting sense of nostalgia, regret & melancholy as the proper title should imply. But also, as the title should imply, it's not necessarily depressing or final. I thought the film pulls it off brilliantly. The subject is very dark & gloomy, yet the film doesn't descend to being dark & gloomy itself. Instead, like a good murder mystery, it allows us to peel away at the dark truth while not getting dragged down ourselves. This is done by keeping us out of the main character's troubled past until the very end. As a result, we don't form prejudices that would taint our objectivity.
And that's what this film is about: society's prejudices. Not in a overt way, but with subtlety the way director Clint Eastwood likes to do ("The Unforgiven", "Gran Turino", "Midnight in the Garden of Good & Evil"). Films like this challenge us to see 'villains' in a different light, and they expose society's folly in labeling them thus.
In this film, Kristin Scott Thomas plays a woman who, for cloaked reasons, is discarded by society. Her unwillingness to explain herself only deepens the disconnect. The motives for her bizarre behaviour remain a mystery until the end, forcing our imagination to remain on high alert throughout the entire film. Without any car chases, gunfire or monsters, this film still manages to create a great atmosphere of suspense & anticipation. In that regard it's similar to "Five Minutes of Heaven" (2009), "Leaving Las Vegas" (1995) or the obscure Japanese flick "Shiki-jitsu" (2000), all excellent films that derive their suspense from slowly peeling away the psychology of a troubled character.
Kristin's performance is simply amazing. It would be easy for an actor to play the role as a victim, a depressed person feeling sorry for herself, but no. Kristin plays it with an air of strength and quiet, desperate dignity. And in the end we realize that's exactly how it should be. Don't miss the chance to see this great film!
Why is this important? Because the entire film is done with a haunting sense of nostalgia, regret & melancholy as the proper title should imply. But also, as the title should imply, it's not necessarily depressing or final. I thought the film pulls it off brilliantly. The subject is very dark & gloomy, yet the film doesn't descend to being dark & gloomy itself. Instead, like a good murder mystery, it allows us to peel away at the dark truth while not getting dragged down ourselves. This is done by keeping us out of the main character's troubled past until the very end. As a result, we don't form prejudices that would taint our objectivity.
And that's what this film is about: society's prejudices. Not in a overt way, but with subtlety the way director Clint Eastwood likes to do ("The Unforgiven", "Gran Turino", "Midnight in the Garden of Good & Evil"). Films like this challenge us to see 'villains' in a different light, and they expose society's folly in labeling them thus.
In this film, Kristin Scott Thomas plays a woman who, for cloaked reasons, is discarded by society. Her unwillingness to explain herself only deepens the disconnect. The motives for her bizarre behaviour remain a mystery until the end, forcing our imagination to remain on high alert throughout the entire film. Without any car chases, gunfire or monsters, this film still manages to create a great atmosphere of suspense & anticipation. In that regard it's similar to "Five Minutes of Heaven" (2009), "Leaving Las Vegas" (1995) or the obscure Japanese flick "Shiki-jitsu" (2000), all excellent films that derive their suspense from slowly peeling away the psychology of a troubled character.
Kristin's performance is simply amazing. It would be easy for an actor to play the role as a victim, a depressed person feeling sorry for herself, but no. Kristin plays it with an air of strength and quiet, desperate dignity. And in the end we realize that's exactly how it should be. Don't miss the chance to see this great film!
Implausible plot 'tease' undermines otherwise engrossing drama
Turfseer31 January 2009
Warning: Spoilers
Il y a longtemps que je t'aime is the story about a woman who's been in prison for murdering her six year old son and after being paroled, goes to live with her younger sister and her family. The film intentionally is set up so that we don't learn the reason why the woman commits the murder until the film's climax.
The reason and circumstances of the murder are so implausible that it ruins an otherwise fairly engrossing drama. The story follows Juliette Fontaine (Kristen Scott Thomas) as she attempts to adjust to her new life outside of prison. In the beginning, she's basically an emotional basket case. After being picked up by her sister Lea, just after her release from prison, she can hardly communicate at all. For the first half hour, there are long silences despite Lea's attempts to get Juliette to 'open up'. She's so cut off that she ends up yelling at Lea's adopted Vietnamese daughter (wonderfully played by child actor Lise Segur) after the child asks her to read her a bedtime story. Juliette even meets a man at a bar and has sex with him at a hotel (but admits that she takes no enjoyment in it).
Juliette begins meeting with her parole officer (in France, it appears the Police officers serve that function). The Parole Officer is an odd fellow who seems like he's the one in need of a therapist (he's constantly revealing his personal feelings to Juliette in their meetings; later it is revealed that he has inexplicably committed suicide!). A social worker arranges for Juliette to have a job interview at a small factory but is thrown out of the office by the firm's boss after he learns that she's a child murderer.
Eventually, Juliette begins to become more communicative especially with the children who take a liking to her. She overcomes Lea's husband's (Luc's) distrust of her who initially doesn't want her near the children. On the job front, she obtains a probationary position at a hospital as a medical transcriptionist. At first, she almost loses the job as she's very aloof with fellow employees; but after the hospital director implores her to be more friendly, she eventually opens up and is offered a permanent position.
Lea also introduces Juliette to her colleague Marcel, a professor at the university where she also teaches. Marcel is probably the most interesting character in the filma wise middle-aged man who has had his share of heartaches. Marcel expresses interest in Juliette but she's not ready to get involved. (later it's suggested that she finally does get involved with him.) A party scene foreshadows the overall implausibility of the film's plot. When a drunken colleague of Lea's insists that Juliette reveal information about her past, she blurts out that she was in 15 years in prison for murder. Everyone at the table however takes it at as a joke (except for Marcel). Why no one there had ever heard of this murder case (even 15 years ago) is highly implausible. France is a small country compared to the United States and the murder of a child would certainly be the type of case that at least someone at the dinner table would have remembered (or if anyone had an interest in Juliette, they could have googled her on their computer a few days earlier and found out about her sordid past in a few seconds).
This brings us to the film's unlikely climax. Lea finds a picture of her murdered nephew along with a love note written by her sister to the boy. The note is written on the back of the boy's medical report which Lea brings to her own physician and asks him to decipher it. It seems that the boy had some kind of fatal illness, information which somehow Juliette was able to keep from her husband and other members of her family. While it's revealed that Juliette knew from the beginning that the boy was sick, no one notices it except Juliette.
Eventually, Juliette takes the boy away from the father (and is later accused of kidnapping him). Instead of seeking help from her fellow physicians, she's convinced (since she's a doctor) that her son is a complete terminal case. She decides to end his suffering by injecting him with an overdose of some kind of medication, killing him (in effect, a mercy killing). I can understand a mother ending up performing euthanasia on an elderly parent but on a six year old? No way. A mother would have tried to get help (even if her own instincts as a physician told her that the chances were basically nil). What's more, wouldn't an autopsy have revealed that the child was terminally ill? Would the prosecutor have prosecuted Juliette without determining a motive? Hardly likely. In addition, if the child was suffering tremendously (such as in the case of terminal cancer patients), there are always some kinds of drugs (such as morphine) to alleviate the suffering of patients in the final days of their illness.
Il y a longtemps que je t'aime devolves into a tale of an undeserved redemption. Juliette is redeemed due to the mitigating circumstances of her crime. In the end, she's let off the hook because she didn't really commit a murder but rather a mercy killing (an event which takes place only in the wild imagination of the film's scenarist). Lea's unconditional and unquestioning love for her sister would have been seen as something quite different at the film's climax (perhaps a form of naivety or gullibility) had Juliette's motive for killing her son turned out to be more sinister or nefarious in some way.
Il y a longtemps que je t'aime is an engrossing drama undermined by plotting which was not thought out carefully from the very beginning. This is unfortunate for the actors who for the most part, present solid and convincing performances.
The reason and circumstances of the murder are so implausible that it ruins an otherwise fairly engrossing drama. The story follows Juliette Fontaine (Kristen Scott Thomas) as she attempts to adjust to her new life outside of prison. In the beginning, she's basically an emotional basket case. After being picked up by her sister Lea, just after her release from prison, she can hardly communicate at all. For the first half hour, there are long silences despite Lea's attempts to get Juliette to 'open up'. She's so cut off that she ends up yelling at Lea's adopted Vietnamese daughter (wonderfully played by child actor Lise Segur) after the child asks her to read her a bedtime story. Juliette even meets a man at a bar and has sex with him at a hotel (but admits that she takes no enjoyment in it).
Juliette begins meeting with her parole officer (in France, it appears the Police officers serve that function). The Parole Officer is an odd fellow who seems like he's the one in need of a therapist (he's constantly revealing his personal feelings to Juliette in their meetings; later it is revealed that he has inexplicably committed suicide!). A social worker arranges for Juliette to have a job interview at a small factory but is thrown out of the office by the firm's boss after he learns that she's a child murderer.
Eventually, Juliette begins to become more communicative especially with the children who take a liking to her. She overcomes Lea's husband's (Luc's) distrust of her who initially doesn't want her near the children. On the job front, she obtains a probationary position at a hospital as a medical transcriptionist. At first, she almost loses the job as she's very aloof with fellow employees; but after the hospital director implores her to be more friendly, she eventually opens up and is offered a permanent position.
Lea also introduces Juliette to her colleague Marcel, a professor at the university where she also teaches. Marcel is probably the most interesting character in the filma wise middle-aged man who has had his share of heartaches. Marcel expresses interest in Juliette but she's not ready to get involved. (later it's suggested that she finally does get involved with him.) A party scene foreshadows the overall implausibility of the film's plot. When a drunken colleague of Lea's insists that Juliette reveal information about her past, she blurts out that she was in 15 years in prison for murder. Everyone at the table however takes it at as a joke (except for Marcel). Why no one there had ever heard of this murder case (even 15 years ago) is highly implausible. France is a small country compared to the United States and the murder of a child would certainly be the type of case that at least someone at the dinner table would have remembered (or if anyone had an interest in Juliette, they could have googled her on their computer a few days earlier and found out about her sordid past in a few seconds).
This brings us to the film's unlikely climax. Lea finds a picture of her murdered nephew along with a love note written by her sister to the boy. The note is written on the back of the boy's medical report which Lea brings to her own physician and asks him to decipher it. It seems that the boy had some kind of fatal illness, information which somehow Juliette was able to keep from her husband and other members of her family. While it's revealed that Juliette knew from the beginning that the boy was sick, no one notices it except Juliette.
Eventually, Juliette takes the boy away from the father (and is later accused of kidnapping him). Instead of seeking help from her fellow physicians, she's convinced (since she's a doctor) that her son is a complete terminal case. She decides to end his suffering by injecting him with an overdose of some kind of medication, killing him (in effect, a mercy killing). I can understand a mother ending up performing euthanasia on an elderly parent but on a six year old? No way. A mother would have tried to get help (even if her own instincts as a physician told her that the chances were basically nil). What's more, wouldn't an autopsy have revealed that the child was terminally ill? Would the prosecutor have prosecuted Juliette without determining a motive? Hardly likely. In addition, if the child was suffering tremendously (such as in the case of terminal cancer patients), there are always some kinds of drugs (such as morphine) to alleviate the suffering of patients in the final days of their illness.
Il y a longtemps que je t'aime devolves into a tale of an undeserved redemption. Juliette is redeemed due to the mitigating circumstances of her crime. In the end, she's let off the hook because she didn't really commit a murder but rather a mercy killing (an event which takes place only in the wild imagination of the film's scenarist). Lea's unconditional and unquestioning love for her sister would have been seen as something quite different at the film's climax (perhaps a form of naivety or gullibility) had Juliette's motive for killing her son turned out to be more sinister or nefarious in some way.
Il y a longtemps que je t'aime is an engrossing drama undermined by plotting which was not thought out carefully from the very beginning. This is unfortunate for the actors who for the most part, present solid and convincing performances.
Brilliant Movie
bijan19847 November 2015
Last night I watched this brilliant movie for the third time. I can't actually get enough of Ms. Kristin Scott Thomas' performance in this movie. She performs as a rich and complex character in this film. Cinema fans know her from her outstanding performance in "The English Patient (1996)" for which she was nominated as the best leading actress in Academy Awards. 12 years after that performance, in 2008, she beautifully played the role of a woman, better to say a human, who came out of the jail and struggled to be accepted in the society as well as in her own family. It's not just that, the movie has some sense of mystery and little by little the story behind Juliette's, Kristin Scott Thomas', actions and behaviours unfolds itself. She has her own weaknesses, strengths, fears and sorrows. Artfully, Philippe Claudel, the director shows every little details of her changing moods and emotions. I highly recommend this movie for anyone who loves to see a good French movie with some magnificent acting.
simple and realistic
JankiSharma29 December 2008
Philippe Claudel's direction is very good. Emotions displayed by two actresses as two sisters truly appreciative of having each other is real.Elsa Zylberstein as Lea and Kristin Scott Thomas ( random hearts, English patient)as Juliette is perfect. Life of a prisoner upon release is not easy and this is well portrayed in the script. Juliette does not go around justifying her actions or discussing why the law is wrong in putting her behind bars. She does what comes naturally to her..she shuts off the world outside her. She knows that she will be judged by her 15yrs in prison. her acceptance by her sister's family is very touching. Her 6 yr old niece relishes her aunt's presence and finds it difficult to let her go even while playing the piano. Juliette's interactions with each and every person in the movie is honest. She evokes respect not sympathy. Throughout the movie i did not look at my watch even once. 1hr 57 min well spent.
Great Scott
writers_reign26 September 2008
Warning: Spoilers
I think it's fair to say that the serious film buff has a set of yardsticks by which to measure newer titles and these of course are of necessity individual. With English speaking films one tends to use Brief Encounter, The Browning Version, Citizen Kane, Casablanca, Shane just to cover a reasonable genre spectrum. If I attempted to give examples from French cinema we'd be here all day so take as a given several Pagnols, Prevert/Carnes, Duviviers etc but in recent years I tend to use Brodeuses as the one all later releases have to beat and less than an hour ago the end credits rolled on Claudel's directorial debut which is certainly fit to be mentioned in the same breath as Faucher's Great movie. Whether on stage (where I've seen her in Three Sisters and As You Desire Me) or screen (too numerous to mention) Kristin Scott Thomas is someone I've tended to admire rather than warm to and I have to confess I never thought she would one day reduce me to tears as she did within the hour. Claudel wrote the novel - and adapted it for the screen - on with Les Ames Grises was based so I knew him to be a fine writer and with Il Ya a longtemps je t'aime he has fulfilled the promise he showed. It's not important that anyone of average intelligence can figure out just why Scott Thomas did what she did fifteen years earlier, what matters is the small details that Claudel employs to tell his story, much the same way as Faucher used embroidery as a motif to unfold the story in Brodeuses. Outstanding though she is Scott Thomas has excellent support from Elsa Zylberstein as the sister who offers unconditional love and Frederic Pierot as the Captain to whom Scott Thomas, as an ex-prisoner, must report every two weeks. Though it is an entirely different role Scott Thomas deserves to sweep the Best Acress Awards just as Marion Cotillard did with La Mome and Zylberstein should do the same in the Supporting Actress category. I urge anyone who loves cinema at its finest to see this movie.
What is a prison? A world in a bar, or a world with the greatest misery of human kind
ridi-arahan25 May 2020
What worked:
What did not work:
- great screenplay and storytelling. You will fall for the lead actor.
- phenomenal performances from the lead actors
What did not work:
- better explanation about what really got her to prison. I mean the movie talks about the reason but I would have preferred little more background scenes or story to get a clearer picture
- the ending isn't bad but I was expecting the makers to give a very strong conclusion considering the premises and the overall story to be told in an extraordinarily beautiful way
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