Film No. 18 (2018) February 26th. 6.30 PM LUNA Paradiso, Northbridge
"You survive four years of war, even with that face your father will be pleased". (Albert talks optimistically to his friend and saviour Edouard, by his bedside).
This stylish French fairytale told with such colour, texture and nuance is all class. But it could have been oh so much better with a cut and trim. Two hours to convey a simple morality tale cries out for a 95 minute treatment. Psychopathic war general Henri (Laurent Lafitte) sparks a battle in the trenches in 1918 which brings our heroes Albert (Albert Dupontel) and Edouard (Nahuel Perez Biscayart) to saving each other from certain death in a 2 minute period. Edouard learns to live a creative life thus hiding his physical disfigurement while Albert devotes his life to repatriation and righting the wrongs of their past. Lafitte plays the cad to perfection. Au Revoir La-Haut is a feast in the realms of Jeunet's Micmacs and Amelie. 9GUMS.
Yep. Pretty much agree with your review. 95 mins would have been better 8/10 for me.
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