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n. hoop·la fac·tor (h  p lä f kt r)
degree of entertainment attained irrespective of critical worth |
A Very Long Engagement (Un long dimanche de fiançailles)
 | Year: 2004 |
| Country: France / USA | |
| Writer: Sébastien Japrisot, Jean-Pierre Jeunet, Guillaume Laurant | |
| Director: Jean-Pierre Jeunet | |
| Cast: Audrey Tatou, Gaspard Ulliel |
stuart |
mark |
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Stuart:Okay so I never like Jean Pierre Jeunet films as much as everyone else. I always appreciate them as beautiful pieces of cinematic art, and the amount of detail that goes into his films is incredible. But there's something about the occasionally frenzied tone and overall hyperreality of Delicatessen, City Of Lost Children, Amelie and now A Very Long Engagement that bothers me. In fact the only film of his I own is one that most people dislike - Alien: Resurrection, and that could have something to do with that fact that Joss Whedon wrote the screenplay.A Very Long Engagement has a very impressive ensemble cast, including the likes of Tchéky Karyo and Jodie Foster (who I'm sure was there simply to show off her French). But like many of his films, very few get more than a few moments in the spotlight. The overall plot is quite simple but the story devices are quite intricate, and I had to pay complete attention in order to fully understand what was going on, especially due to the frantic nature of many of Jeunet's sequences. Of course this film is stunning to look at. The French have an eye for detail which has always been a major part of their special effects. The film has a lovely aged look with lots of yellows and browns. The violence can be a little shocking, and I felt that it was a little too much for some older members of the audience that expected a classic love story. The line between truthful representations of war and playing up the gruesome nature of the many wounds was a little blurred. This is a great film, but I never feel like watching Jeunet's films a second time. If you liked his other stuff you're bound to enjoy this.
Mark:is yet to review this filmReader Reviews: RWThere's something classic about this film - whether it's the universal longing for the impossible, the desire for the survival of the innocent, or just the need for hope, they work so well here. There's something so raw in the ability to mesh the idea of love with the 57 kinds of misery shown in the foul and disgusting warfare of reality, but the French know how to do it so well. But for the viewer it doesn't matter whether you are interested in all things Jeunet, or the further adventures of Amélie, or even how else Tchéky Karyo can hide his crippled arm, this is the film for you. Just bring an attentive brain, and watch how a piece of fascinating history, and glorious imagination, can be slowly laid out before you, with love.Rating:  |
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