La Vie d'un Autre (Another Woman's Life)

The feature film debut by Sylvie Testud has the lightness of a romantic comedy mixed with the serious drama of a woman that in 15 years forgot everything that made her life enjoyable and has an interesting storytelling style that definitively is a great vehicle for another excellent performance by Juliette Binoche.

As Testud says "is Binoche or no one else" and I believe she was right as script has many holes -to be filled by viewer- that without a masterful actress film could have been a disaster. Can't recall the last time I saw Binoche doing comedy but while seeing those moments made think about joyful Binoche of earlier movies and made me happy, very happy. Most remarkable is the scene where she dances in the bateau mouche where she looks so youthful that is truly amazing.

Story starts with Marie meeting Paul, completely falling for him, going to the beach where Paul comes, having her friend inviting them to her 25th birthday party and finishing in the bedroom in a too-dark making love scene where they fall asleep. When Marie wakes up Paul is not there and room is completely different, she doesn't understand where she is or what happened; but soon she realizes that she has a son, is married to Paul, she looks older and is her 40th birthday. Story explores her amnesia quite funny until she starts to realize the woman she has become and everything gets serious. Ah! is another very French movie with a happy ending or maybe not, as has an open end that you can close as you wish.

Have to say that Juliette Binoche plays Marie when she was 25-years-old and even when is only for a few minutes is a bit odd as she looks very young but definitively not that age. But older Marie is perfect for Binoche showing her stupendous range from very light to very dramatic.

I enjoyed movie quite a lot as made me feel happy and happiness prevailed even do story went to the dramatic when Marie starts to learn who she has become. But I'm sure that I enjoyed film more because Juliette Binoche was the center of the movie and the most beautiful sights of Paris than because the story it tells. So can only recommend movie to those that enjoy watching the magnificent actress and have to watch her impressive acting abilities.

Enjoy!!

Watch trailer @MOC

A still from the movie