Fille inconnue (la)

English title: The Unknown Girl

Genre: psychological drama – mystery

With: Adèle Haenel (Dr. Jenny Davin), Olivier Bonnaud (Julien). Jérémie Renier (Bryan’s father), Louka Minnella (Bryan), Christelle Cornil (Bryan’s mother), Nadège Ouedraogo (the cybercafé cashier), Olivier Gourmet (Lambert), Pierre Sumkay (Lambert Senior), Yves Larec (Dr. Habran), Ben Hamidou (Ben Mahmoud)

Directors: Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne

Screenplay: Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne

Release: 2016

Studio: Les Films du Fleuve, Archipel 35, Savage Film et al.

Rating: -

MBiS score: 8.4/10

  

The One That Got Away 

 

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Story-line: Jenny, who is filling in for Dr. Habran at his neighbourhood clinic and will soon move to the well-regarded Kennedy Centre, has spent a long and gruelling day taking care of patients with her trainee Julien. One hour after closing time, they are still at work tidying up when a young lady rings outside, seeking admittance. Julien wants to let her in, Jenny orders him not to and the girl goes away. The very next day, when she learns what happened to that girl, Jenny comes to regret her decision.

Pluses: a valiant, dominant performance by Adèle Haenel (as the dedicated and tenacious Jenny), able support from a good cast (especially Jérémie Renier and Olivier Gourmet in small but important roles), typically tight and sober direction, a beguiling and twisty screenplay highlighting the perils of daily life, competent cinematography and editing, quality production values and a jarring ending.

Minuses: aside from a brief song dedicated to Jenny and traffic noises here and there, the movie features no musical score… but this is understandable, considering the subject matter.

Comments: what Jenny learns about the unknown girl is so heartbreaking that she will try to make amends even if it means making decisions on the spur of the moment, taking risks and irritating people around her. As you follow her in this personal quest, her pain becomes so intimate that you feel as cheap and unsettled as she does. Once again, the Dardenne brothers have fashioned an effective film with very little means, a thoughtful and potent meditation on remorse, shame and the elusiveness of truth. 

 

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