Valley of Love

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.

Gérard Depardieu and Isabelle Huppert star as a former couple who have suffered the greatest tragedy known to mankind: the loss of a child. The impetus of the story is a message from their son, who wrote letters before his suicide promising he'd reappear one more time to say goodbye to his parents if they both travelled to Death Valley at a certain time. His parents haven't seen each other in a very long time, adding even more discomfort to an already strained and upsetting reunion.

There's so much realism in this movie it actually hurts to watch. The saying of "art imitates life imitates art" was never so true as in Valley of Love. When Isabelle asks Gérard if he's happy, his answer is truly heartbreaking. I can only hope this movie was cathartic for him and didn't cause him additional pain. As an audience member, I was constantly reminded of how close to home the subject matter was, and it was very sad.

If you do decide to watch this movie, you'll get to see some very good acting. How could Gérard not be fantastic in this film, right? You'll get to see lots of desert scenery, and feel the perfect pace of life that people feel once they're no longer whole. But bring your Kleenexes, because it's very heavy.

Kiddy Warning: Obviously, you have control over your own children. However, due to adult subject matter and scary images, I wouldn't let my kids watch it.

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 !

This is a very simple - in some ways - and sad movie. A long-divorced couple learn of the suicide of their son, with whom they have been out of contact for years. He sends them each a letter, asking them to spend a week together at different sites in Death Valley (yes, in the U.S.), with the promise that he will appear to one of them.

They meet. They encounter a few dull Americans. They spend a lot of time out in the desert. Lots of old dirty laundry gets aired. The end makes no sense.

When I was walking out of the theater in the small Breton town where I saw this movie - fewer that 10 people had showed up to see it -the usher told me that it was based on the story of the death of Gérard Depardieu's son, Guillaume, and that Guillaume had been his son by Isabelle Hupert. Not true. Guillaume was Depardieu's son by his first wife, Elisabeth, and he did not commit suicide. Nor, as far as I know, was he gay. So much for instant legend.

What was good, indeed very good about this movie was the acting by the two principals. They are both first-rate actors, and they do wonders with what is often not first-rate dialogue.

For what it's worth, it's also interesting to see them as they are now, with NO makeup or attempt to hide what time has done to two formerly very handsome/beautiful individuals. Depardieu has become downright enormous, and not in a good way. He looks downright pitiful in shorts.

There is also some beautiful landscape shots of Death Valley.

Not a movie I would see twice, at least in the theater. But not a movie to overlook, either.

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")