Les lignes courbes de Dieu

I watched this with little expectations other than a mix of negative reviews and one about 'a movie for intellectuals.' If you enjoyed Shutter Island, I highly recommend as this is of the same genre, well made, characters develop at a comfortable pace and the crooked lines in the plot are well played, done with thought and til the end.

I look forward to watching this again as I know I will pick up something new with each watch. I didn't recognize any of these actors, but was very impressed by all. Any movie set made to be in an insane asylum can go one of many ways. The characters here were intriguing, make you laugh, cry, and want to be their friends.

The Mystery concept is on full display in this film, though unfortunately it is not a new, refreshed, or novel mystery. Here we have the typical madhouse film that questions the sanity of the protagonist mixed with the story of the typical crime story without a clear culprit.

But don't get me wrong, this movie is good and entertaining, despite its slow pace and excessively long footage. It is somehow a good mystery that if you plunge into the plot, you will fall into the confusion that the story presents and you will be motivated to unravel this mess with the smell of old parchment. The last plot twist can be felt a little bit forced, but after all, it's expected.

Oriol Paulo has important means for his film about a psychiatric hospital. With a beautiful work on the sets, costumes and, very important, the impressive decor of the psychiatric hospital where a good part of the film takes place. The film is sumptuous.

A film where the intrigue is to know if Barbara Lennie, patient of the psychiatric hospital, is well in her place, or not, that is to say is she reached of a mental disease or not. According to the points of view, according to the editing of the film, according to the flashbacks or the flashforwards, the answer differs. And it is the whole purpose of Oriol Paulo to succeed in making a film that holds the spectator in suspense until the end, until the last shot. The multiple subplots that the scenario agrees require an important work to the spectator to put back together the pieces and to make the links, and this permanently. This makes the film not seem long despite its 2h30 duration.

The film is also plastically a success: in terms of photography, sets and costumes. With a special mention to Barbara Lennie, who is in all the shots of the film, with a big work to carry all the components of her character.

What an amazing mind-blowing psychological thriller making the easily the year's best screenplay flick... Oriol Paulo of "THE INVISIBLE GUEST" has crafted a briiliant screenplay that keeps u guessing with its past and present mode of storytelling... Quite creepy in the beginning 30 mins or so later plunges into deep heart every minute with twist and turns keeping us edge of seat, convincingly told in such a way that one can't predict who is pretending or who is real and does indulge in shocking act often... Barbara Lennie does carry the whole movie single handedly with her smart,manipulative gesture...truly Oscar worthy in every sense... Overall a perfect movie for every movie buffs.

The movie starts with a bird's-view of a mountainous landscape. A car drives down a road. We know our heroine is going to be alone in this journey.

Alice is a private detective set to investigate the events that lead to the death of the son of her client. Her client does not agree with the final report: suicide. She decides to enter sanatorium where her client's son was institutionalized to conduct her investigations on the source. Once there, who can judge sanity over insanity?

The plot follow two storylines: we see Alice's perspective and investigation, and then we shift into a breakout event that led to the death of one of the sanatorium's patients. The story keeps us hooked until the very end, a great who-and-whydunit story that leaves us guessing until the very end.

The ending is good too, although people who read the book where screenwriters based this movie's story on can argue which ending is the best. I personally think both takes are good.

For a mystery story, it's possible to defend that the movie is too long, dragging a bit. I feel that this is not true; the movie is long, but the story is good. I don't mind being hooked for over 2 hours if the story is good.

At the end, I felt rewarded: the movie delivered. One could debate that there are some really messed up stuff that happens, and that the police seems a bit lost in this whole mess, but you need to remember this story happens in 1979.

If you are a fan of mystery dramas and don't mind the time spent on this movie, God's Crooked Lines is recommendable.