Could you forgive yourself for committing murder? Would you expect your family to understand your crime? Would you think that you deserve a second chance at life?
Such themes are explored in the French language drama I Loved You So Long, a moving portrait of two sisters, Juliette and Lea.
Stripped of the glamour of her typical roles, Kristin Scott Thomas (The English Patient, The Horse Whisperer) shines as Juliette. After spending 15 years in prison, a withdrawn Juliette reluctantly moves in with her younger sister Lea, and her family.
Lea, played by French actress Elsa Zylberstein, was just a child when her much older sister went to prison. Although the two are seemingly strangers, Lea yearns to put their estrangement behind. She welcomes Juliette into the home she shares with her husband, two adopted daughters, and father-in-law. However, Lea’s husband, Luc (Serge Hazanavicius), does not share his wife’s enthusiasm, especially given the nature of Juliette’s crime.
Although Lea’s love for her sister is apparent, so is her awkwardness and embarrassment. As a bright university professor, she avoids discussing her sister’s time in prison, preferring to unconvincingly tell others that Juliette has been away. At the same time, she is desperate to understand the motivations of her sister’s crime and reconcile it with the love they shared as children.
Without knowing the nature of Juliette’s crime up front, the audience is left wondering whether to feel sympathy or disgust for the character. Juliette appears reticent and out of place in the world. Once a doctor, she must now seek work as a secretary and check in regularly with her parole officer and social worker.
Juliette is short-tempered with her nieces, preferring to spend her time smoking in cafes or holed up in the library with Lea’s mute father-in-law (Jean-Claude Arnaud). As expected, she also faces obvious prejudice as those around her become aware of her past actions.
Such themes are explored in the French language drama I Loved You So Long, a moving portrait of two sisters, Juliette and Lea.
Stripped of the glamour of her typical roles, Kristin Scott Thomas (The English Patient, The Horse Whisperer) shines as Juliette. After spending 15 years in prison, a withdrawn Juliette reluctantly moves in with her younger sister Lea, and her family.
Lea, played by French actress Elsa Zylberstein, was just a child when her much older sister went to prison. Although the two are seemingly strangers, Lea yearns to put their estrangement behind. She welcomes Juliette into the home she shares with her husband, two adopted daughters, and father-in-law. However, Lea’s husband, Luc (Serge Hazanavicius), does not share his wife’s enthusiasm, especially given the nature of Juliette’s crime.
Although Lea’s love for her sister is apparent, so is her awkwardness and embarrassment. As a bright university professor, she avoids discussing her sister’s time in prison, preferring to unconvincingly tell others that Juliette has been away. At the same time, she is desperate to understand the motivations of her sister’s crime and reconcile it with the love they shared as children.
Without knowing the nature of Juliette’s crime up front, the audience is left wondering whether to feel sympathy or disgust for the character. Juliette appears reticent and out of place in the world. Once a doctor, she must now seek work as a secretary and check in regularly with her parole officer and social worker.
Juliette is short-tempered with her nieces, preferring to spend her time smoking in cafes or holed up in the library with Lea’s mute father-in-law (Jean-Claude Arnaud). As expected, she also faces obvious prejudice as those around her become aware of her past actions.
The film does not depict Juliette’s adjustment to life after prison in a superficial or ordinary way. Instead, her rebirth unfolds scene by scene as she struggles to forge relationships and share the burden of her crime with her sister. We see her relish in small joys, such as finding a small apartment to call her own.
Laurent Grevill, as Michel, is particularly affecting as Lea’s colleague, who is among the first to learn of Juliette’s crime. He, too, is fractured by past loss and serves as a confidant, drawing Juliette out of her prison.
French novelist Philippe Claudel wrote the screenplay and makes his directorial debut with I’ve Loved You So Long. The film starts with many tight shots, focusing solely on Juliette’s face. As she emerges from her fog, the angles begin to widen to include more of the world, which Juliette is learning to embrace. Her isolation is replaced with animated interactions with her young niece at the piano and her switch to more colorful clothing and makeup.
Despite that I’ve Loved You So Long is a foreign-language film, it’s quite accessible to mainstream moviegoers. The subtitles do little to distract from the elegant, nuanced performances of Kristin Scott Thomas and Elsa Zylberstein. The actresses convey such emotion through their expressions that their words seem like an afterthought.
Look for Kristin Scott Thomas’s name to be thrown around come awards season.
Laurent Grevill, as Michel, is particularly affecting as Lea’s colleague, who is among the first to learn of Juliette’s crime. He, too, is fractured by past loss and serves as a confidant, drawing Juliette out of her prison.
French novelist Philippe Claudel wrote the screenplay and makes his directorial debut with I’ve Loved You So Long. The film starts with many tight shots, focusing solely on Juliette’s face. As she emerges from her fog, the angles begin to widen to include more of the world, which Juliette is learning to embrace. Her isolation is replaced with animated interactions with her young niece at the piano and her switch to more colorful clothing and makeup.
Despite that I’ve Loved You So Long is a foreign-language film, it’s quite accessible to mainstream moviegoers. The subtitles do little to distract from the elegant, nuanced performances of Kristin Scott Thomas and Elsa Zylberstein. The actresses convey such emotion through their expressions that their words seem like an afterthought.
Look for Kristin Scott Thomas’s name to be thrown around come awards season.
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