An octogenarian couple find their love put to the ultimate test when one of them suffers a stroke, and the other must assume the role of the caretaker in this compassionate yet unsentimental drama from director Michael Haneke. Georges (Jean-Louis Trintignant) and Anne (Emmanuelle Riva) are retired classical-music teachers savoring their golden years in a comfortable apartment when Anne experiences a stroke that leaves her partially paralyzed. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
Director: Michael Haneke
Cast: Jean-Louis Trintignant, Emmanuelle Riva, Isabelle Huppert, Alexandre Tharaud, William Shimell.
Release Date: Dec 19, 2012
Rated PG-13 for mature thematic material including a disturbing act, and brief language
Runtime: 2 hr. 7 min.
Genres: Art House/Foreign
Review:
Micahel Haneke has made a career of turning the mundane into something disturbing and unsettling. He’s also been a didactic director even if you don’t notice it. Early on in Amour, his deeply moving yet tragic love story, the director holds a shot of an audience. Haneke is telling us that this tale is about something that will affect all us at some point. It’s an interesting starting point into a brutally honest tale of love and devotion that goes into the depths of our hearts and limitations of our bodies. Haneke confines the film to the octogenarian’s well worn apartment creating a sense of claustrophobia throughout. In this confined space is a pair of legendary French actors who deliver incredibly powerful performances throughout. Emmanuelle Riva has received plenty of praise and awards for her performance here and it’s well earned. Riva’s work portraying Anne’s increasingly degraded state is masterful and shockingly realistic. Riva has a showier role but Jean-Louis Trintignant work shouldn’t go unnoticed. Trintignant’s turn is just as strong. His ability to convey a plethora of emotion through a single look or facial expression is just masterful. Together with Haneke’s direction they create a film which takes us through the end of a love story in all its naked truth.
A
It sounds like a movie you enjoyed. Real life situations tend to depress me but this is a good review you did.
ReplyDeleteIt's pretty depressing but really well done Diana.
DeleteAn A!
ReplyDeleteI was hoping you would take one for the team and come back saying that it was overrated!
Going to have to make an effort to see this one now.
Haneke pretty much assures me it's going to be a strong movie. This is pretty heart wrenching though, a box of tissue should be handed out with the price of the ticket.
DeleteYeah, great that you loved it so much! One of Haneke's strongest and most depressing movies he ever made. The semi-positive ending surprised me a lot. So far, all of his movied ended up extremely negative, but this one almost gives you an uplifting feeling. Genius!
ReplyDeleteIt really a testament to his talent, the film is depressing as hell but also uplifting.
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