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Someone I Loved review
:. Director: Zabou Breitman
:. Starring: Daniel Auteuil, Marie-Josée Croze
:. Running Time: 1:52
:. Year: 2008
:. Country: France
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Based on a novel by Anna Gavalda and built around a series of flashbacks, Someone I Loved centers on an affair between a middle-aged married man (Daniel Auteuil — Caché) and a beautiful young woman (Marie-Josée Croze — The Diving Bell and the Butterfly).
For a third film behind the camera, French actress/director Zabou Breitman once again tackles the theme of memory, which was already at the center of a her directorial debut, Beautiful Memories. But this time, rather than focusing on the loss of memory, here she approaches it as an inner scar in the form of an unfulfilled love story.
This story is told through a conversation between a man and his daughter-in-law, who are spending a few days in a remote cabin as he tries comfort her after his son leaves her. The problem is that, by using this setting, it gives us the feeling of watching two different films, the rupture in tone is real-time and flashback sequences are very abrupt. While the scenes involving the daughter-in-law, an unappealing character who doesn't attract any sympathy or empathy onscreen, are heavy on pathos, the love story is, on the contrary, depicted in the light and amused tones inherent to romantic comedies.
The chemistry between Mr. Auteuil and Ms. Croze is certainly what keeps the tale alive and makes it a pleasant experience to watch. Unfortunately, there is not much else to keep here, as even if this doomed international long-distance love story hits close to home for yours truly, there isn't anything really interesting happening beside casual encounters around the globe.
With its Chinese backdrop, its light comedic tones and the age difference between these two unlikely lovers, Someone I Loved is also fairly reminiscent of Lost in Translation, except that, in a true French fashion, they are fully embracing their love physically while it remained platonic in Sophia Coppola's movie. Since the film is based on a book, the similarities might not be intentional, but the problem is that you can't help but compare the two films and, unfortunately, Someone I Loved doesn't bring anything to the table that makes it sustainable. The movie ends on an unaccomplished note, as neither the storylines involving the daughter-in-law or the past lover find any type of closure, a feeling that is also shared by the spectator whose experience is left unfulfilled.
Fred Thom
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