This World War I mystery finds limitless beauty in the nostalgia of loss. Directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet, whose whimsical AMELIE riveted audiences, A VERY LONG ENGAGEMENT also stars Audrey Tautou--the 21st century's Audrey Hepburn--in the stubbornly emotional role of a widow in denial. Here she is Mathilde, a waifish young .. Read more
| Starring | Audrey Tautou, Gaspard Ulliel, Ticky Holgado, Chantal Neuwirth |
|---|---|
| Director | Jean-Pierre Jeunet |
| Genres | Drama, Romance, World Cinema |
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This World War I mystery finds limitless beauty in the nostalgia of loss. Directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet, whose whimsical AMELIE riveted audiences, A VERY LONG ENGAGEMENT also stars Audrey Tautou--the 21st century's Audrey Hepburn--in the stubbornly emotional role of a widow in denial. Here she is Mathilde, a waifish young woman with a pronounced limp from childhood polio. Living with her quirky aunt and uncle in a farmhouse by the sea, and waiting desperately for her fiance Manech (Gaspard Ulliel) to return from the war, she believes that if he were truly lost she would feel it in her heart. Thus, when the bad news arrives--Manech and five fellow soldiers were exiled to No Man's Land for shooting off their own fingers in hope of being discharged--Mathilde refuses to believe he is dead. Instead, she begins her own investigation into Manech's infantry, hiring a private detective and tracking down the wives and girlfriends of each of Manech's compatriots. Conducting countless interviews, Mathilde pieces together Manech's war stories--which are told in earthshaking flashbacks involving gruesome explosions, flying guts, and massive suffering. And yet, the all-in-this-together humanity of these awful scenes, and the heartfelt bravery with which Mathilde absorbs the details of each battle, is undeniably moving. Jodie Foster appears as Elodie, one of the widows, in a charismatic yet muted performance and with a flawless accent. However, the most intriguing of the widows is Tina Lombardi (Marion Cotillard), a thrilling dominatrix-assassin bent on avenging her lover. A timeless masterwork that raises the bar for breathtaking camerawork, vivid landscapes, and fantastical storytelling, A VERY LONG ENGAGEMENT is adapted from the novel by Sebastien Japriscot.
| Starring | Audrey Tautou, Gaspard Ulliel, Ticky Holgado, Chantal Neuwirth, Jean-Pierre Becker, Jodie Foster |
|---|---|
| Director | Jean-Pierre Jeunet |
| Studio | WARNER HOME VIDEO |
| Original title | Un Long Dimanche de Fiancailles |
| Run time | DVD: 2 hrs 14 mins LOVEFiLM Instant: 2 hrs 7 mins |
| Certificate |  DVD LOVEFiLM Instant |
| Genres | Drama, Romance, World Cinema |
| Language | DVD: French LOVEFiLM Instant: French |
| Subtitles | DVD: English LOVEFiLM Instant: English |
| Released | Production year: 2004 To Watch Online: LOVEFiLM Instant: 09 Jul 2010 To Rent: DVD: 13 Jun 2005 |
| Watch now | £2.49 |
Grand, gently moving movie on an epic scale, encompassing not only the horrors of war but also the effect it had on life after: the lush landscapes, through which our heroine travels, recover, but the people don't.
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Expectations
After the other films of Jeunet (Amelie, delicatessen, and the city of the lost children - Alien apart), one is entitled to expect another quirky, funny and ... read more »
[Highly rated reviewer]
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The horrors of war
This is a very well put together film, I loved the way it played out and Audrey Tautou was very good, and Jodie Foster does a very good French accent. shows ... read more »
[Highly rated reviewer]
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Must see for Amelie and the Notebook lovers
Absolute delight, beautiful story infused with moments of humour. Audrey Tatou is astounding as always. A definite must for anyone who enjoyed Amelie and the ... read more »
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Film of hope
It's a french film that I found very difficult to follow at first as I had to follow it with subtitles but in the end, I found the story line good. Love ... read more »
Is it possible to beat Hollywood at its own game – or even to play on the same field? That’s the 60 million Euro question for French filmmakers, as it is for the Brits, the Germans, and anyone else with a viable industry stuck in the Americans’ cultural choke-hold. Hollywood established its European market on the back of the Great War, when the competition was at its most vulnerable. With the deepest pockets in the business, the major studios coaxed many of the hottest... Read more
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