Going and Coming Back

Just giving it two stars, in this case, does not indicate that the film is below average, but rather it is about the fact that the theme and processing did not resonate with me. For me, it is so far the least digestible film by Lelouch, whom I otherwise admire and have on my list of top directors. The director showed, among other things, his love for classical music, which significantly influences the rhythm and pace of the whole film. He returns from individual scenes to a piano concert, which plays a special role in the story, and the entire film is underlaid with classical music. However, I am not a big fan of classical music, so I considered this piano motif to be a hindrance to the narrative. An unexpected betrayal reveals that someone truly close has exposed the hiding place of a Jewish family during the Nazi occupation of France, which in practice means that when the viewer gets acquainted with the layout on which the story takes place, they have to decide between two individuals. The resolution itself is not a surprise for an attentive viewer. Compared to his other films, Lelouch does not play as much of a complex psychological game or sophisticated tricks with the audience. Furthermore, the story does not lighten up with the typical comical exaggeration characteristic of most of his work, quite understandably. All in all, this time it's only an overall impression of 40%. (08/13/2009)