deux jours, une nuit - the actual title of this french film
starring marion cotillard - of batman/inception/contagion fame
most significantly though the star of la vie en rose as singer edit piaf
to her credit she seems to be happy to take on small-ish indie films also
this one read well in the festival program and redemption is required
the other french one seen so far - folies bergere very underwhelming
sandra has had a mental breakdown - has a supportive hubby and 2 kids
recovered though and ready to return to work at the solar panel factory
but receives a call to say she is no longer required - efficiency measures
apparantly those pesky asians are undercutting the established market
the owner cunningly asked the staff - 1000 euro bonus or sandra back
they naturally/mostly voted for their pockets - this on a friday afternoon
her ally and sandra then berate the owner into a secret ballot on monday
giving sandra the weekend - 2 days, 1 night - to contact her 16 co-workers
(editor's note - technically speaking - deux jours, trois nuits - but let it pass)
i'm hooked - the acting superb, the hand-held camerawork appropriate
hubby is her rock - before she starts she is teetering on breakdown cliff
popping xanax pills to try and keep a lid on it - he has to support her
as he reveals they need their double-income to only just stay afloat
there's 2 growing children, a new mortgage and all the usual bills
friday night is spent preparing a list of names and addresses
and come saturday they are onto the job and door-knocking
we are in french suburbia - city/town unknown - and irrelevant
what quickly becomes apparant is that money is tight everywhere
every single person she talks to needs the bonus - for everyday needs
a clear statement from the film-makers that this is life for most people
so in a sense a very political film - not necessarily intentional but it's there
here we see the likely effect of economic strangling of the middle class
many moonlighting weekend jobs or e.g. cleaning tiles for extra money
there's some hostility from some people who flat-out need the cash
others genuinely remorseful of their prior vote now come on board
one very clear situation where good karma makes a repayment
sandra takes any rejection hard and the xanax to the rescue
so over the course of a single weekend there's a lot going on
their marriage is threatened and rescued, another one dissolves
such a simple premise for this film but many sub-plots developed
in each case sandra's character challenged or tested in a different way
as though post-breakdown she is being taken through a fitness test
all comes to a climax on the monday morning with the secret ballot
a 50/50 split and an offer from the owner to resolve the deadlock
but sandra accepting that would mean compromising her own ideals
so she is last seen walking away - and on the phone to her hubby
a sense that she lost the battle but has won her own mental war
a rare smile on her face and a statement - 'i am happy now'
nice - a happy ending in this fine french film - tres bon
