Valley of Love

Beautiful photography. Chilling soundtrack. Wonderful story. Excellent acting. A mesmirizing French forgotten gem! Only 11 reviews on Imdb, because it was only released on dvd in the US. And it's French. How many Americans watch French movies? This is quite an interesting and mesmirizing movie, although it is only suited for an arthouse audience.

Slowburning French lighthearted drama with a few chilling spiritual elements and some tongue in cheek jokes. Quite a serene and endearing story about loss. Probably only suited for an arthouse audience, yet highly recommended for all the fans of Gerard Depardieu and Isabelle Huppert, who both deliver excellent performances, as could be expected of such grandiose acting legends.

The story is about a suicide note in which the deceased son asks his 2 parents (Depardieu and Huppert) to visit a place in the American desert, where he will reappear again after his death. The story focusses on the grief of the 2 parents and how they each cope differently with having lost their one and only son.

However depressing this story may sound, this movie goes way beyond just another simple story about loss and grief, because of these excellent directing and tremendous acting talents. Please give it a chance if you are into the more subtle and delicate kind of arthouse movies. You wont regret it. Advised to be watched with subtitles.

Reviewing "Valley of Love" is a great way for me to celebrate my 300th review on Imdb . Thank you for reading !

The Plot: Valley of Love is a 2015 French film directed by Guillaume Nicloux, starring Gérard Depardieu and Isabelle Huppert. It tells the story of two famous actors who used to be a couple and had a son 25 years ago. They reunite after the son's death, and receive a letter asking them to visit five places at Death Valley, which will make the son reappear. It was selected to compete for the Palme d'Or at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival.[

I'm writing this review to set the record straight for all the mediocre reviewed jerks who were likely expecting a shoot 'em up movie.

This is a FRENCH film. Yes, it's set in Western America, but it is a FRENCH film. If you know nothing about French movies, you'll probably hate this movie. But if you understand that French films deal with life differently than happy go lucky full of crap Hollywood, then you'll love this movie. As i do. It's real. No shellacking over the emotions.

There is also an underlying truth to this movie with something similar happening to Depardieu and his own son that make it even more poignant.

For me this movie is in line with some of the classic Depardieu movies made in the 70s and 80s before he sold out and just started showing up.

But wait! There's more! About 2/3rds into the film it take a bit of a surreal/supernatural turn that reminds me a bit of Antonioni.

This is truly a great movie.It makes you think and cry and think. Hollywood would never make it.

At the close of this movie I half expected the name Roman Polanski might appear. Many of the under-explored themes and situations bring to mind vague occult aspects from several of his works. First and foremost is the promise of a ghostly re-appearance by the dead son of two French movie actors. They've received letters from their son following his suicide - instructing both to meet in Death Valley USA at specific times - where he will mysteriously reveal himself to them one last time (If not yet seen and you don't want to know anything about it there may be some minor spoilers following...)

On the way to this event there are some bizarre happenings. The disturbing vision of a deformed girl in the middle of the night talking about death. A Wolf's (or Dog's) mutilated head in a bag, left in a toilet block. None of these situations are further explored - they just seem to happen for the sake of it. Cultists and film study groups will have a field day 'making-up' theories on the hidden deep and 'meaningful' messages.

Gerard Depardieu and Isabelle Huppert give strong performances playing their own 'names sake's' and Cinematographer Christophe Offenstein bathes it in glossy images. The haunting minimalist music by Charles Avers is effective and it's disappointing to find the composer's name not included on this IMDb listing (trust this may be remedied). Director/Writer Guillaume Nicloux seems bent on being the replacement for Polanski and nearly bores the viewer to death with endlessly-long walking shots of his stars going somewhere or nowhere. Sometimes it's mildly compelling but ultimately empty.

If you're into talkie supernatural themes or questions without answers you may find comfort here, otherwise be warned...

Former couple Isabelle (Isabelle Huppert) and Gérard (Gérard Depardieu) reunites for a mysterious mission. They are semi-famous actors. They're married to others with kids dealing with personal issues. They were estranged from their son Michael who committed suicide. Then they got letters after his death promising to see them in Death Valley on a specific day after a schedule of places and times.

These are legendary French actors and it's fascinating to see them together as somewhat themselves out in the real world. It starts out as a compelling mystery as to what's going on. As the characters reveal the secret, the actors are free to become a real couple. That's what most compelling about this movie. These two actors project a real history. The ending is somewhat muddled. I'm not sure what's happening but maybe that's the movie.

The divorced French actor Gérard (Gérard Depardieu) and actress Isabelle (Isabelle Huppert) travel to Death Valley, California to comply with the wishes of their deceased son, the photographer Michael, who committed suicide six months ago. They had not seen Michael for many years, and they regret their omission. Michael, who lived with his partner Greg, sent one letter to each other with a table of places in the Death Valley, promising to appear to them to say goodbye. Gérard is skeptical, but Isabelle truly believes that Michael will appear to them. Meanwhile, they recollect their life together.

"Valley of Love" (2015) is a very disappointing movie by Guillaume Nicloux with an awful conclusion. This talkative film goes nowhere and shows a terribly fat Gérard Depardieu that is brave, exposing his body without shirt without worrying with his image. Gérard Depardieu physically recalls Marlon Brando in his last roles. My vote is four.

Title (Brazil): "O Vale do Amor" ("The Valley of the Love")