Be prepared: though rewarding, this movie may be difficult to watch.
The narrative structure is that of a linear tale: While Claire (Isabelle Carré) progressively loses memory and delves into oblivion through Alzheimer's disease, Pierre (Bernard Campan) comes back to life and, thanks to his love for her, oppositely recovers his memory, after the car accident that left him amnesiac and made him responsible for the death of his wife and kid. So their destinies are crossing: as she slowly loses herself, he will recover but unavoidably lose her.
The subject matter is parabolic. It not the disease or mental illness that is at hand, but the path of everyone's life; love is a blessing, but what is loved will be lost. Neither is it sad nor depressing, that is just so. "Always look on the bright side of life" sung the Monty Pythons in 'The life of Brian'.
The atmosphere of the movie is itself far from depressing: direction is voluntarily simple, sometimes even naive, helping to create a sense of familiarity on the viewer's side. Characters and dialogs, especially from ill people in the first part of the movie, are rather funny as well as touching. What may be difficult to bear is the gripping feelings, that will catch the viewer early on and leave him or her completely drenched by the end of the movie. Yet can the experience be renewed, retaining all its intensity. Along with first-rate acting, that makes this movie a timeless masterpiece.
As of Zabou Breitman, the director, I do not know what she lost in her life. But I am very grateful to her for sharing it with us in such a way.
The narrative structure is that of a linear tale: While Claire (Isabelle Carré) progressively loses memory and delves into oblivion through Alzheimer's disease, Pierre (Bernard Campan) comes back to life and, thanks to his love for her, oppositely recovers his memory, after the car accident that left him amnesiac and made him responsible for the death of his wife and kid. So their destinies are crossing: as she slowly loses herself, he will recover but unavoidably lose her.
The subject matter is parabolic. It not the disease or mental illness that is at hand, but the path of everyone's life; love is a blessing, but what is loved will be lost. Neither is it sad nor depressing, that is just so. "Always look on the bright side of life" sung the Monty Pythons in 'The life of Brian'.
The atmosphere of the movie is itself far from depressing: direction is voluntarily simple, sometimes even naive, helping to create a sense of familiarity on the viewer's side. Characters and dialogs, especially from ill people in the first part of the movie, are rather funny as well as touching. What may be difficult to bear is the gripping feelings, that will catch the viewer early on and leave him or her completely drenched by the end of the movie. Yet can the experience be renewed, retaining all its intensity. Along with first-rate acting, that makes this movie a timeless masterpiece.
As of Zabou Breitman, the director, I do not know what she lost in her life. But I am very grateful to her for sharing it with us in such a way.