Un + Une (DVD) – Movie Review
Follow Genre: Adventure, Comedy
Director: Claude LeLouch
Distributor: eOne
Duration: 110 minutes

Un + Une (DVD) – Movie Review

Site Score
3.0
Good: Realistic take on the Indian culture, Amma was the highlight
Bad: Narrative doesn't connect well with the scenes, chemistry is lacking
User Score
1.5
(2 votes)
Click to vote
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Rating: 1.5/10 (2 votes cast)

What do a French film score composer and the wife of a French ambassador in India have in common? Literally nothing but it this lack of deeper connection that is causing an unnatural attraction to each other. One that they are reluctant to explore due to their significant others but the spiritual trip may have other plans in mind.

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Antoine Abeilard, portrayed by Jean Dujardin, is a famous French film music composer. His ingenious has been requested to add another complex layer of emotional being to a black and white movie that is being shot in India and thus his travels begin, leaving his girlfriend Alice Pol (Alice Hanel) back at home. While Antoine is a carefree man, he seems slightly emotional during his trip to the capital of India for a reason unknown. Once the plane lands in Mumbai, Antoine is kept up to speed in a whirlwind about the film and its narrative, and soon he finds himself seating down next to Anna (Elsa Zylberstein), the French ambassador’s wife celebrating Antoine’s collaboration with Rahul Abhi. Antoine questions Anna about her connection to India and we learn rather abruptly about her spiritual connection to the country and its cultures. The contrast between Antoine and Anna couldn’t be much more starker but it is that same contrast that is being used as an irresistible pull towards each other.

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When Anna mentions that she will go on a spiritual trip to India’s real-life hugging saint Amma, better known as Mata Amritanandamayi Devi and who has portrayed herself in the film, Antoine is quick to jump on the spiritual bandwagon albeit it is only in hopes to cure his ever-growing headache. The trip to this great healer is filled with cultural realism and while the two protagonist have mundane conversations, they also claim they are both love struck despite the fact that the breadcrumbs of this relationship is very difficult to pick up as we felt it was simply non-existing. There was a certain amount of staring and thoughtful thinking when doing such but it felt as if they were contemplating the meaning of their own lives, not the bond that was supposedly forming between the two, a fairly realistic train of thought considering they both are in a healthy relationship.

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Both Jean Dujardin and Elsa Zylberstein seem like excellent actors but both French actors have a certain stoic expression throughout the entire film and none of the feelings they are trying to emit felt real enough to have any meaning. The lack of a deeper connection between the two also accounts for a lack of chemistry between the two protagonists. The highlight of the entire film, in terms of emotional state, has been the visit to Amma herself. Once you know that this scene was shot in docu-style because Amma wanted to be part of the film but didn’t want to know who the film stars were, you’ll come to realize that this is the highlight because it was the only part that felt real, an emotional rollercoaster of sorts.

The DVD of Un + Une doesn’t offer any kind of extra features which is sad given the fact that they could have done a plethora of different stuff to extend the footage and perhaps guide the viewer to the right path of experiencing this movie.

Conclusion

Advertised as an adventurous love story with a twist, Un + Une by Claude LeLouch is a typical French film that has completely missed its mark. We couldn’t find the love connection they claim is the main narrative of the entire film but the spiritual journey throughout India has given us some interesting insights on the cultural habits such as the real-life hugger Amma. If you picked this movie out, purely for its love story, you might want to put it back. If not, the spiritual and mystical side to the Indian culture is always great to witness – even in films.

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Rating: 1.5/10 (2 votes cast)
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Un + Une (DVD) - Movie Review, 1.5 out of 10 based on 2 ratings
Drydwen


Hi! I'm Jess and I’m a writer, dreamer and gamer at heart since the early ages. I primarily game on PC but occasionally also on PS4 and Xbox One. I have a tiny obsession for World of Warcraft and caterpillars but you may also claim I have a devoted passion for the gaming industry in general. If you want to hit me up, find me on twitter!

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