The
Dardenne brothers are back with a third Cannes-winning feature
(see also Rosetta and The Son) that doggedly follows one
character through a series of seemingly mundane yet life-changing
events. It drags badly in the second half, but it's worth
sticking with for the overwhelmingly moving conclusion.
Sonia
(Segard) is a young woman who has just had a baby with her
immature boyfriend Bruno (Renier). She hopes this'll calm
him down and bring out some responsibility, instead of the
life of petty crime and unfocussed ambition that characterises
their poor community. While the baby does deepen their relationship,
it also sparks a reprehensible idea in Bruno's mind, and
he makes a terrible, unforgivable decision that could undo
this little family forever. How far will he go to redeem
himself?
Babies
having babies is the theme here--the underclass living off
the state in a grim setting where they struggle for every
meal. But the Dardennes maintain a firm sense of balance
amid their typically meandering style: Sonia and Bruno have
a lively, sweet, childishly energetic relationship, and
Bruno does have a choice about how he lives. His most telling
comment is that that only losers get jobs; he'd prefer to
make a living through crime. Of course this is Bruno's tragic
flaw, and he's going to pay. And probably take everyone
down with him.
Once
he digs his hole, it's very difficult to have any sympathy
for him. And this is where the film becomes almost unbearable,
as we watch him flail around for even a shred of self-respect,
dignity or forgiveness. It's extremely well-done, cinematically,
in that we really lose all hope for any sort of redemption
(as opposed to Hollywood movies in which we know it will
all be just fine in the end). The Dardennes and their raw,
honest cast really make us believe it! But there's at least
a half-hour in which we really don't care what he does,
which is a problem. Then something remarkable happens, and
the filmmakers draw the story to an astonishing conclusion
that really does take our breath away.
