This film initially reminded me of Jean-Pierre Jeunet's Amélie, with the vibrant color scheme, whimsical fantasy-infused cinematography and quirky characters, but as the movie progressed I immediately noticed it was a much darker, twisted story about love. Guillaume Canet and Marion Cotillard star as Julien and Sophie, who, since childhood have played a game of dares, started when they were children by Julien presenting Sophie with a gift of a tin merry-go-round and, upon asking if she'll lend it back to him, her demanding him to do something crazy to show he really wants it back. The game continues up to their adult years, always erratic and crazy and deepening the strange bond they have, even if on the surface their relationship is dysfunctional and destructive. I enjoyed how in their childhood the visuals were high contrast, with crazy bright colors. As they get older the visuals become more harsh, the colors settle down as their era of playtime is ending and the real world of adulthood sets in. Another thing to note is the growth of Julien and Sophie of the tyrant and the creme puff, which are what they declared they would grow up to be, as children hiding under a banquet table at Sophie's sisters wedding. All throughout several renditions of the song La Vie en Rose plays throughout, giving the film a simple, yet meaningful backdrop. And of course this gives an ironic twist, as Marion Cotillard goes on to play Edith Piaf in La Vie en Rose (which I still have not watched). In all, I loved this film, because it told a story about love in a fresh, atypical view. Love hurts, and it can be so twisted, yet in the end it prevails.
2 comments:
A very good movie (french movie !)
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