I've Loved You So Long: REVIEW

To quote Houston Chronicle film critic Amy Biancolli, "this [2008] has been an extraordinary year for middle-aged women. First there was Melissa Leo in Frozen River, and now there' s Kristin Scott Thomas in I've Loved You So Long". I've Loved You So Long is a beautifully delicate little film that explores the struggle of one woman's attempt at re-entering normal life (and reconnecting with her family) after 15 years in prison. Anchoring what could have been another so-boring-you-thought-it-was-on-life-support-story are Kristin Scott Thomas as the main character (Juliette), and Elsa Zylberstein as her younger sister Lea, who both give excellent performances. Though it all starts off quite low key, the surprisingly rich story unfolds gradually, and it works, save for a heartbreaking-yet-truncated ending. To go indepth would threaten to reveal too much, and this is a movie that needs to be fully discovered by the viewer, so I'll have to give my compliments in broad strokes. Scott Thomas is in top form, with her face not as youthful as in "The English Patient", but still just as beautiful, makes Juliette a compelling character, who we are given chance to sympathize with before we find out everything that's been going on. Aside from the truncated ending, the film also suffers at times from trying too hard; just about every character, major or minor (and there are quite a few) has dealt with some sort of enormous physical tragedy, which almost reaches the point of being too much when we learn the fate of a Muslim doctor's first wife and child. But I better stop there...for I might reveal too much. It's best that you see for yourself...

Grade: B+

Nominations: Best Actress - Kristin Scott Thomas(#2), Best Supporting Actress - Elsa Zylberstein(#2), Best Original Screenplay(#5), Best Foreign Language Film - France(#1 WINNER)

Number of 2008 Films Seen: 41

Top 10 of 2008:
1. The Dark Knight
2. WALL-E
3. In Bruges
4. Burn After Reading
5. The Fall
6. Vicky Cristina Barcelona
7. The Duchess
8. I've Loved You So Long
9. Rachel Getting Married
10. Tropic Thunder