Un amour impossible

An impeccable film held together by astonishing performances and a very understated direction. I don't know if I am biased because French is my first language, but I found the film so incredibly real. Even at the lengthy runtime, I barely felt it. Corsini is at the top of their career with this film!

I did not seek out this film.

Watched it one Sunday afternoon on BBC iPlayer.

I was feeling unwell and thought it looked gentle enough. There was no write up, so did not know what to expect.

It was a fine, intelligent film; Rachel was a wonderful character, I liked and understood her. It is this factor that sustains the film throughout. The two hours or so passed quickly; one becomes heavily invested in the central character.

One is left with no doubt about Phillippe from the start, he is not ordinary and totally narcissistic. Therein lies the reason for, what sometimes seems like, his unfathomable hold over Rachel. This is not about class differences or anything as mundane as that keeping lovers apart, this is about a true narcissist's manipulation of a trusting and loving girl / woman.

When adult Chantel, Rachel and Philippe's daughter, confronts Rachel at the end, Rachel's answer is believable; she simply did not conceive that the problems in their mother and daughter relationship, during Chantel's teenage years, was anything other than that she, Rachel, was simply not good enough.

I am trying not to give anything away, just watch the film and see it play out. Just remember that it is Rachel's life you are watching unfolding.

This movie grabbed me because I love French films, and I'm drawn to watching films with both of the lead actors.

It started off good, if not extremely maddening, due to the storyline of the main female character letting herself being used and walked over. That was hard to watch.

Then, halfway through, as the daughter starts to grow up and different actors are used for the character, it gets messy. The storyline in the second half, which I was not expecting, and made me pretty sick, was weird and could be triggering for some.

I love how films make you really feel something, but if it's a storyline for a movie (such as the one that starts halfway through in this movie), I'll usually give it a miss - but who knew from the outset? You'd never guess, and it's pretty gross. Then comes the hastily put-together ending between mother and daughter. I think the title An Impossible Love / Un amour impossible was inaccurate. Perhaps, Un amour revoltant would have been more apt.

I was certainly gripped by the set-up. Fine performances, nicely directed and stylish portrayal of events. My issue was with the sudden and what seemed to me, convenient/unearned simplistic ending. I simply did not 'buy' the ending. I agree with another user review which suggests we are simply presented with a 'one-note villain. Are we really to believe a Mother/woman who never responds vocally to a man such as Phillipe is a reliable narrator ? Is the Mother as innocent and worthy/decent as the character suggests? It has many strengths - but ultimately, it sloppy, rushed, convenient ending frustrated me and really had me wondering what exactly the director wants us to take away from this epic tale which covers 60 years.

Sometimes things are not as we think. This movie is an example of that. What starts with a very ordinary story develops into an adventure of drama. We have seen the story, the beginning of the film many, many times before; boy meets girl, they fall in love, but can not marry due to class differences. But this issue is only used as a starting point in this gripping, well-played and engaging film. The film depicts people, main characters in an era, and masterfully manages to follow developments. For my own part, it was also demanding to watch, first and foremost to understand why Rachel played by Virginie Efira makes the choices she makes in the film. This is how good film should be like. Challenge us and give us insight into choices others choose to make. I now understand that I have to check out the other films director Catherine Corsini has made. At least she has succeeded greatly in this wonderful film.