There’s a place for us
Somewhere a place for us
Peace and quiet and open air
Wait for us somewhere
‘Somewhere’ from West Side Story by Sondheim and Bernstein
If there’s one kind of story that has enthralled audiences for centuries, it’s that of star-crossed lovers. The new French film “Two of Us” is admirable for taking potentially shopworn material and rendering something that feels fresh. You think you know where it’s going, and maybe you do, but it’s how director Filippo Meneghetti gets to that destination that makes the film a gripper from the get-go.
Nina ( Barbara Sukowa) and Madeleine (Martine Chevallier) are longtime neighbors, their apartment doors are just across the hall from each other. What we learn right away is that they are also longtime lovers who plan to move from France to Rome, where they’ll live out their retirement years (they’re both about 70ish). There’s a place for them – somewhere.
Madeleine a widowed mother and grandmother is visited regularly by her dutiful daughter (Léa Drucker) and the plan is for her to come out to her adult children while simultaneously breaking the news of her impending move.
The tension is palpable as Madeliene struggles to summon the courage to break the news at the dinner table until, finally, she loses her nerve. Nina is not happy about this and we wonder if this will end their relationship or if…
…but then something serious happens – I’ll call it a “medical emergency” and reveal no more (I’m posting the trailer down below which reveals the twist that I won’t) and that something throws the dynamics of, well, everything, into a different orbit. An interesting orbit, but maybe not the one we foresaw.
What follows is a reckoning…or two…or more. Some drama, some thrills, some smiles and some tears. There is a moment where we see the daughter’s face as she looks through a photo album. Not a word is spoken, but the subtle change of expression on her face says it all. It’s a revelation that is of a theme with the rest of the film: reserved, nuanced.
And all of this is wrapped up in a tight hour and a half. This film, France’s official submission to the Academy Awards, and ‘The Father,’ another excellent piece of filmmaking, are proof that the most interesting characters, and certainly the actors playing them, are not always young. Indeed, they have lived long lives and their stories deserve our time and attention and box office support.
Two of Us, 3 ½ out of 4 Stars. Reviewed by Kyle Osborne. Open in limited theaters and and on virtual cinemas.
