Film Review: Rust and Bone

Director: Jacques Audiard

A French language film about a complicated romance between two people thrown together by hard times and tragedy. Ali (Matthias Schoenaerts) works doing odd-jobs as well as boxing for a living whilst looking after/neglecting his son Sam (Armand Vendure). Working as a doorman in a nightclub he meets Stéphanie (Marion Cotillard) who ends up in a fight so he drives her home and discovers that she works at a local marine tourist park working with Orca Whales. But an accident at the park changes Stéphanie's life forever and she ends up trying to get closer to Ali to help deal with the depression.

Ali (Matthias Schoenaerts) and Stéphanie (Marion Cotillard)

The first thing that stands out from this movie is Marion Cotillard, she is absolutely superb as the unhappy Stéphanie. Even before the accident you can feel the desire to escape her current boyfriend who dictates what she does and then tries to piece her life back together after the accident. Matthias Schoenaerts is a relative newcomer and is disappointing in the lead role of Ali, a selfish and cold boxer who cares little for friends or even his own son at times. He seemed to portray very little aside from anger but for no reason that became apparant and was unconvincing as the film drew to its conclusion.

Jacques Audiard does an impressive job with some stunningly shot slow motion pieces of Ali's fights and Stéphanie working with the whales to a beautiful soundtrack, he also uses the camera to place you right in the middle of conversations so you feel like you are very much a part of it. Unfortunately the plot is slow and often cumbersome at times as you will the director to push the plot forward before the whole thing stagnates, then when you finally reach the finale you feel like they were unsure exactly how to end it all.

2/4 Powerhouse performance from Cotillard is let down by slow unsure plot