L'amour et les forêts

Go out more they said. Meet men they said. Maybe that's not such a great idea after all... Lamoureux is anything but amoureux.

It's very uncomfortable and triggering. Watching the degree to which a woman allows a man to degrade her. And for what, for the love that he once gave her? Which was all clearly staged, a carefully conceived trap.

Peak confidence for a domestic abuser - admit he's an abuser and then blame her for allowing it to happen, for not loving him enough to prevent him from turning into an abuser.

Yeah, cats and wine seem better companions.

Not all men they said. Enough though.

Fantastic, straightforward film with an intricate portrayal of a psychopath tormenting a strong woman who's found herself in his web. There isn't that much to be said, which is a good thing. The main heroine carries herself with poise and dignity throughout the horrific ordeal, and emerges victorious. This is a disturbing enough thriller, realistic, and without any Hitchcockian ambiguity, being clearly done through a female lens. While fully delivering aesthetically, it would hopefully serve to leave any abuse victim feeling empowered. We need more films to call out such abusers: "petit monsieur".

The domestic abuse subgenre has a large range in quality. This one is above average. Passionate performances; excellent supporting cast.

Points penalized for distracting and utterly useless use of twins in the plot. Likewise for black and white thinking- he was not all bad and she was not all good.

Educational and important to instruct women- and men- to recognize themselves in what could be abusive relationships, even though maybe nobody is physically abused, there are plenty of other ways to be abused. Psychological torture can indeed be less tolerable and more painful than a slap in the face.

Other than this highly polished demonstration of the complicated ways abuse can manifest and how easy it can be to forget ourselves within the box we have created with our romantic partners- yes, even you, intelligent that you are- and a startling reminder that even the most moral, normal, people can be hiding the deepest, darkest secrets, there was little in the way of character development. Anything that took place outside the "Us" was not handled well- namely, the twin subplot, which felt more like a gimmick or ploy to mislead the audience into believing it would evolve into a secondary storyline involving some horror aspects or, at the very least, switching places.

Arguably, there was not much more to the two main characters besides this all-consuming relationship to one another- for, as the title says, it was them and only them; over "Us", zero "I". However, it still resulted in a film that leaves audience members wanting and a story that feels unbalanced.

Recommended for its possible selfhelp and societal value, but audiences should not expect too much as far as a rewarding climax or an otherwise fulfilling film.

Valérie Donzelli's *Just the Two of Us* (*L'amour et les forêts*) is a chilling exploration of the thin line between passion and possession. Adapted from Éric Reinhardt's novel, the film follows Blanche Renard (Virginie Efira), a woman who falls for the charming and enigmatic Greg Lamoureux (Melvil Poupaud). What begins as a dream romance quickly unravels into a harrowing story of manipulation and emotional abuse.

Virginie Efira delivers a heartbreaking performance as Blanche, capturing the vulnerability and strength of a woman trapped in a toxic relationship. Melvil Poupaud is hauntingly convincing as Greg, whose possessiveness and control escalate with a quiet menace that keeps the tension palpable throughout. Their dynamic drives the film, creating moments that are both devastating and utterly compelling.

Donzelli's direction is intimate and unflinching, using close, often claustrophobic framing to reflect Blanche's emotional confinement. The film's pacing is taut, gradually intensifying as Greg's behavior becomes increasingly dangerous. The screenplay, co-written by Audrey Diwan and Donzelli, is sharp and nuanced, offering an unvarnished look at the psychological toll of abuse while avoiding melodrama.

The cinematography contrasts the idyllic beginnings of Blanche and Greg's relationship with the dark, oppressive atmosphere of its descent, enhancing the emotional weight of the story. The score, subtle yet haunting, underscores the film's themes of love turned toxic.

*Just the Two of Us* is a powerful and unrelenting film that speaks to the complexities of abusive relationships. Best watched in a quiet setting, it's a story that demands attention and reflection, shining a light on the courage it takes to confront and escape such situations.

Rating: 8/10 - A tense, emotionally charged depiction of love and its dangerous shadows.

This one is not the first and not the last film about domestic violence but in my opinion, there can never be too many. The statistics showed this was especially common during Covid, when people stayed at home and their demons grew wilder. However, this one has nothing to do with lockdowns: it methodically and chronologically describes the classical story, and we see all the stages - first lies, feeling discomfort, alienation from social life, apprehension, guilt, desperation, danger, fear of the truth being revealed, guilt again, fear of physical assault, helplessness, panic, terror. Both the film itself and Melville Poupaud and Virginie Efira's acting show us how terrible it can be and that there's a way out of the nightmare the moment you realize you're in danger. In the movie, that happened quite late but hopefully this film will help someone to see the signs and end this horror earlier.