Film Review: I've loved you so long

Director: Philippe Claudel

A French language film released in 2008 which premiered at the Berlin Film Festival before being given a wide theatrical release later in the year. It was nominated for three BAFTAs and won the best foreign language film that year.

Juliette (Kristin Scott Thomas) is a former doctor who has just been released from prison and is staying with her younger sister Léa (Elsa Zylberstein) and her husband Luc (Serge Hazanavicius) as well as his mute father and their two adopted children from Vietnam. As the film unfolds we see Juliette struggle to deal with life back in the real world whilst she continues to come to terms with her crime, running parallel we slowly find out the reasons for her imprisonment.

Léa (Elsa Zylberstein) and Juliette (Kristen Scott Thomas)

Kristin Scott Thomas is clearly the centre piece of this film as there are very few moments where she isn't the focal point of a scene. Her performance is incredibly moving and powerful, she plays the role of Juliette with brutal honesty and it is heart-breaking to see her past revealed. Elsa Zylberstein also impresses in the supporting role of Léa but lacks the depth of emotion behind her tears as the film builds to a harrowing climax.

Naturally being a French film it is slow in developing which at times does makes you will the plot to move along, mainly out of curiosity as to what has happened because you are longing to know the reasons for Juliette's imprisonment. Overall there isn't a huge amount of development in the plot over the entire course of the film but the writing and acting keep you engrossed to the very end when all is revealed, although after that you might possibly wish you hadn't found out.

3.5/4 Harrowing yet deeply touching French film.