Ricky

This is not a real review, it should be taken more as a collection of impressions on the film.

So, this film is without a doubt particular and also very strange, but I can't understand its moral, I can't understand what it wants to convey because if it wants to convey love and the desire for freedom it doesn't succeed so well. We also need to talk about the choices of the characters in the film because the film progresses to the sound of very forced wrong choices by all the characters and this becomes a little tiring in the long run throughout the course of the film. So in summary the film is also entertaining, but given that the film wants to be deep and pretentious we must also evaluate the fact that everything that leads to the final moral is very forced and without the slightest sense.

Must to admit that I studied film making and worked on the field as a film director, and wrote several screenplays. So, possible I see something in this movie that "normal" would not see. Please keep it in mind while reading my review.

pros:* Great message of the movie. The message: "People are generally good. They only need a little of inspiration, care and compassion, and for coming to their loving nature." Love this message very difficult to come across with a message like this now days.

* Very good acting cast. And faces and nature of actors were matched to the message above. * In some places were good cinematographic work

* Brave mix of the fantasy and realistic methods * Good "hidden" references to Mary (mother Mary)

cons: * wings growth was rushed * "media crowd" to generic Meaning that some of the important elements of the movie were underdeveloped.

* most of the cinematographic decisions were generic and predictable (shots, light and such)

But I would suggest to watch this movie to be inspired a little.

Wow, totally impressed by the performance that showed us L7sa.

I realize that some Ozon fans are disappointed by the outcome of this project, as can be seen by another review here on IMDb also. I do understand that some might feel that Ozon should have better stick to what he was doing. But I think he did a very good job here. Behind all the "normality" of the movie, there lies an ambiguity. The movie deals with loss or better how people react to loss.

Loss of material things, emotional loss and of course other losses too. That's what I felt watching it, but I can also tell, that some people might have gotten a completely different vibe from the movie. And that is what makes it special. It might not be his best movie (I haven't watched all his movies), but it is pretty good. Especially since it disguises itself as normal movie ... well as normal as an Ozon movie can be of course.

I saw this today as part of the Alliance Francais film festival in Brisbane.

While not Ozon's best effort (for me Swimming Pool remains his masterpiece) this is an intriguing whimsical story with disturbing undertones of obsession and sibling rivalry.

The story really makes most sense when considered from Lisa's point of view (a powerhouse performance by the young actress here). I took the fantasy aspect of the story to be a metaphorical expression of integrating new members into a tightly knit family of two (and not just Ricky either). This magical realism is very strongly grounded in the emotions of the characters and this is what gives the movie impact in spite of its imperfections. Ozon likes operating on the boundary of fact/fiction mind/reality, and takes huge gambles here which don't always come off--but in the moments they do the film is very satisfying.