A Reel Review: AMOUR

Director Michael Haneke’s AMOUR may be a tough film to watch for most people; not because it is a two-hour long, French-speaking subtitled film, but because of how authentic and real it is. AMOUR is very generous in showing, or reminding us of what happens at the back end of old age; it does so masterfully and tactfully, and is very deserving of the five Oscars it has been nominated for.

Georges and Anne (Jean-Louis Trintignant and Emmanuelle Riva) are a retired couple in their eighties. One day, Anne has an attack which partially paralyzes her, and with their daughter Eva (Isabelle Huppert) living far away, Georges is left as the only caregiver. The couple’s love and devotion are tested as Anne’s health deteriorates.

AMOUR is all about the senior couple combating the many hardships and challenges brought on by Anne’s failing health. If AMOUR were a superhero film, Georges and Anne would be the heroes, and old age would be the villain. Director Michael Haneke pulls back the curtain on the things we always knew were there but often choose to ignore; things like bathing and going to the bathroom, feeding and dressing, and eventually diaper changing. It is upsetting and unnerving material.

But beyond the harsh ugliness of the decaying human body, AMOUR presents a very strong and beautiful theme of love and devotion. Georges is very much dedicated to Anne, and seeing the great lengths he goes through to keep her comfortable is very touching. The film doesn’t fall into sappy-land; there is never a long-string of dialogue in which the characters stop what they are doing to tell each other (and the audience) just how they are feeling at a given moment. AMOUR lets things flow naturally, with many rewards and just as much heartbreak.                 

The organic blooming of AMOUR can be attributed to the gentle touch of Michael Heneke’s direction. The film is often presented in long static-shots and tracking moves; you can probably count the number of “cuts” on one hand in a given half-hour, and there are some sequences which are flat-out unbelievable. With so little edits, the actors are allowed to be free, and film feels very real because of it. But despite the stage-play feel of it, AMOUR never forgets to be intimate with its characters, and we are on board with them from heartbreaking start to finish.   

Jean-Louis Trintignant and Emmanuelle Riva are perfect in their roles and both put on a performance nothing short of wonderful and amazing. Besides the intimate moments, in which they both shine, they are both asked to do some “heavy lifting” in the form of physical work, and it is often hard to believe what you are seeing on the screen.

Because of its harsh subject matter, AMOUR falls into the territory of SCHINDLERS LIST; a finely crafted film which doesn’t entertain as much as shock, and most people will not want to see it again despite how fulfilling it ultimately is. Older audiences will certainly be reminded of what is coming for them, and younger audiences with loved ones reaching their golden years will be bothered by the peek into the near future. AMOUR is a powerful movie all about life and death, and should be required viewing for everyone, even just once.

BOTTOM LINE: See it