De rouille et d’os

English title: Rust and Bone

Genre: personal drama  

With: Marion Cotillard (Stéphanie), Matthias Schoenaerts (Alain van Versch), Armand Verdure (Sam), Céline Sallette (Louise), Corinne Masiero (Anna, Alain’s sister), Jean-Michel Correia (Richard, Anna’s husband), Bouli Lanners (Martial), Mourad Frarema (Foued), Yannick Choirat (Simon)

Director: Jacques Audiard

Screenplay: Jacques Audiard and Thomas Bidegain, from a story by Craig Davidson

Release: 2012

Studio: Why Not Productions, Page 114, France 2 Cinéma et al.

Rating: 18 A

MBiS score: 8.1/10





A Human Being, No Matter What





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Story-line: Alain, a lone parent with a young son and no permanent home, is put up by his sister and finds a job as a bouncer in a local disco. One night, he is called upon to rescue Stéphanie, who has been bullied on the dance floor, and drives her home. The encounter doesn’t go so well (he blames her for being ‟dressed like a whore”) but you just know these two will meet again before long…

Pluses: a gritty turn by Marion Cotillard – oozing star power as always – and the impressive Matthias Schoenaerts, a raw, schematic screenplay that mixes interesting themes (parenting, marine parks, boxing, physical disability) and deftly uses silences to further its story, impressionistic cinematography by Stéphane Fontaine (some scenes are truly wondrous) and competent direction by Jacques Audiard (DE BATTRE MON COEUR S’EST ARRÊTÉ).

Minuses: none I can think of.

Comments: this very watchable film features impatient and imperfect characters who struggle to patch up their broken lives and find happiness or, at least, some level of contentment. They may be rough here and there, they do make mistakes but they’re also survivors… and that’s what makes DE ROUILLE ET D’OS a compelling choice for movie buffs.  





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