High-class psychological drama about strong people Rust and Bone is one of the best European films of 2012 and one of the most talked about French films of recent times. Personally, I did not wait for the release of the tape in the Russian box office and bought a DVD in the original language - so great was my desire to see this film. And I’m glad that I did see it, it made a lasting impression on me and seemed to me a very emotionally strong and deep film.
Let's analyze this tape, note some of its features.
1. A deep psychological story. This film tells us about two completely different and indistinguishable people - young, but burned by life a man and a woman, whose fates are amazingly intertwined. She has just lost both legs as an orca trainer, he is a single father with a 5-year-old son who makes a living from street fighting and dirty work. What could link them? The only thing that brings them together... So you can briefly describe the plot of this film without spoilers. In fact, it is much deeper and more interesting, but I can’t reveal it because I’m afraid to spoil your impression. I will only say that the plot of this film only seems not original (after all, films about people with serious health problems and so many), but this is not the case. In more than one film, serious physical injuries, as well as mental injuries, have not been considered from this angle. We do not try to cause pity or sympathy – no, we just tell a story about certain people, and each viewer will formulate their attitude towards them independently. In addition, the film does not draw images of heroes and some super-people, everything is very realistic and frank. It is also interesting that the love in this film is very unusual, not at all “cinema”. After watching, I had almost no questions to the creators of the tape. However, apparently due to the fact that I watched the film not in my native language, I did not really understand what the title of the film itself means.
2. Strong emotional message and correct morality. Rust and Bone is a psychological and dramatic film in which we can see real emotions. And those emotions are very strong. The viewer is encouraged to live in spite of all difficulties, inspire optimism and self-confidence. We are shown the fate of two people whose lives, as they say, were not set. But they did not break before the difficulties - this is what you need to learn from the main characters of the tape. As for morality, it is very correct and stated covertly. We will not hear direct instructions and conclusions in the film. No, everything is very allegorical and conclusions have to be made by the viewer himself.
3. Excellent performances. Well, maybe this part of my review should be colored not just green, but bright green, because I’m just wildly excited about the acting in this film. Marion Cotillard is the queen of French cinema. She is doing a great job in her difficult role. Her character not only looks realistic, she lives a lifetime full of pain, failure and joy. And we do not see any screaming scenes, excessive outburst of emotions and drama. The originality of this image lies in the fact that it is natural and realistic. In addition, the additional difficulty for Marion was that she had to portray the heroine without legs, which is probably not easy. Stephanie is, in my opinion, the best dramatic female image of 2012. In general, the game of Marion is at the highest level and appreciated by many film critics. Even those dissatisfied with the film note that for the sake of her play Rust and Bone was worth watching. Unsurprisingly, she is one of the leaders for an Oscar nomination for Best Actress on many betting sites. I wish her good luck and the most prestigious awards! As for Matthias Schonarts, he is no less expressive in his role. He brilliantly handles all the dramatic scenes, as well as the difficult physical scenes of fights. I can’t say that his performance is weaker than Marion’s, but, nevertheless, his image is not as expressive as the main female image. But otherwise, he's doing great. Bravo to the actors!
4. Unusual atmosphere . Rust and Bone is not only very deep in content, but also a very beautiful and expressive film. What is the only creative camera work and the style of the picture itself? All the frames seem to be slightly illuminated, which creates a peculiar effect of presence and naturalness. From the screen streams a warm light that carries hope and faith in life. In addition, in the film a lot of just beautiful and unusual shots. What is the only episode with killer whales or scenes of battles, shot from an unusual angle? More than others, I remember the episode in which the heroine Marion Cotillard stands in front of a huge aquarium with killer whales. I don’t know whether it was natural shooting or it was computer processing – one way or another, everything looks very realistic.
“Rust and Bone” is one of the best films of 2012 and perhaps the most unusual and worthwhile French film since “Amelie”, which can also compare with the recent film “1+1”. This is a strong, deep drama about people who live and try to enjoy life no matter what. This is a film that can help so many people really start to appreciate their lives. I wish this film success at all film festivals and award ceremonies. I will especially be rooting for Marion Cotillard because I am convinced that her work in this film deserves not only an Oscar nomination, but also the award itself.
Who should recommend this film? First, to all connoisseurs of motivating and psychological films, lovers of strong acting and live emotions on the screen. Secondly, to all those who are not looking for an entertaining mass cinema, but, on the contrary, likes to reflect on what they saw. I will immediately say that “Rust and Bone” will not appeal to everyone, since this film is quite frank and psychologically difficult to perceive. So before you watch this movie, think carefully about what you want to see on the screen.
For the exception of minor and subjective shortcomings, Rust and Bone is simply an amazing film that deserves attention and encouragement. I reserve one point for myself, as I need to revise it in Russian in order to thoroughly understand what I saw.
9 out of 10