L'amour caché

Danielle, a woman in her late forties has been institutionalized by her daughter Sophie after three suicide attempts. We see Danielle in therapy sessions with Dr. Nielsen, who is supportive and caring but seems to be at the end of her tether; she has Danielle put her thoughts in writing with the hope of finding a crack past her impregnable shell. As the action progresses we learn that for many years (perhaps always) Danielle has been unable to form "normal" attachments with other human beings including her husband and daughter; her interactions are devoid of love or even of a hint of empathy or tolerance and are sometimes tinged with plain hatred. We are given no clue about the causes, childhood traumas or family situations that may have shaped her. We don't even know if she can be entirely believed; according to her daughter, Danielle is a narcissist given to playacting and manipulation.

The ending is perhaps the most enigmatic part of the film. We can connect the dots in various ways. Some offer a ray of hope, but others end the story in the very heart of darkness.

Isabelle Huppert, playing Danielle is a fearless actress. Her skills range all over the spectrum and she can be charming and charismatic if needed. However, her trademark has been portraying characters in various stages of mental and psychological disturbance. Huppert's creation of her personage in this movie is made of obsessive hand gestures, long silences and stares that are sometimes blank and void, other times all-knowing. Her performance is flawless and the rest of the actors also acquit themselves with distinction. Production values, among them music and cinematography are first rate.

All in all, this is a strangely compelling film. It's sometimes hard to watch due to the subject matter but engages the viewer's attention from beginning to end. Not to miss.

It is impossible not to be shocked by this movie, focused on a very delicate theme, and on three female characters. An over the top (and very courageous) Isabelle Huppert plays the main role of Danielle, a mother who hates her daughter in a visceral way, and has spent her whole life between indifference and sense of guilt, but incapable of elaborating her suffering condition. Her interpretation is devastating, her face is completely blank and the camera focused on it underlines the void of her inner world, still more underlined by the aseptic, white, impersonal environment surrounding her. Her troubled relationship with motherhood is probably part of a mental disorder, since also the relation with her good husband has always been difficult, as she has often felt disgusted by him, and she feels in general incapable of experiencing any human feelings. Mélanie Laurent plays Sophie, the hated daughter, she shifts from total inexpressiveness when she is with Danielle (although she feels some kind of love for her), to tender maternal love when she is with her own daughter. Greta Scacchi plays the analyst and is the only soothing and positive human female figure, trying to elaborate some sense and to assert the value of human sympathy.

The atmosphere throughout the movie never ceases to be tense, sometimes too tense, the moments of "dialogue" between Danielle and Sophie convey such anger, rage, hate that they are almost unbearable. The final outcome tries to offer some relief, although not too convincing, as if a backwards step seemed to be necessary in order to bring all the hate we have perceived to a more humanly-acceptable dimension, as if some kind of rescue were to be found, but it seems too a hasty ending, which leaves many unsolved, but probably unsolvable questions (above all, the only hinted reference by Danielle to the possibility that every mother could have negative feelings for a child, that you cannot enforce yourself to love someone, not even your own child). Undoubtedly, a very well interpreted movie, but, obviously, very sad and depressing, you need to be prepared and be in the right mood to see it.

The Hidden Love actors are the best. The music works well. The black and color are wondetful. Yet great parts don't equal a great whole. Because this story is about a woman who has made three suicide attempts and then is mute there is no genius who could make her despair tangible viewing. The book must have the inside scoop on all the unanswered questions. I might read it.