Amour

Boy meets girl, they live a sometimes tumultuous, overall ravishing love affair, and live happily ever after.  These are the love stories we’re accustomed to.  These are the stories we love; so much hope in finding one person that completes us.  Best-case scenario, we’ll grow old and one of us will die.  “Amour”, the 2012 winner of the Palme D’Or at Cannes, focuses on this twilight.  The hero of this story is the love between an aged couple, Anne and Georges.

“Nothing of any of that is worth showing”

As one may surmise from the above, on the surface “Amour” is not a feel-good film.  Beyond its brutally honest content, it is also told in the style of classic French cinema.  Long pauses of silence allow reflection from the viewer, and give a barren hopelessness within the confines of the French apartment, wherein our film is entirely set.  For those lacking in attention span, this film will feel like an eternity.  For those attracted to the art form within the presentation and performance, the many nuances of Amour will hold hours of analysis and retrospection, like poetry on celluloid.
Beyond the helplessness of their environment, there are only a few players within the film: our main couple, their adult daughter, and a few ancillary visitors, mostly nursemaids and friends in the apartment building.  The vast majority of the film is spent with the couple.  This causes the viewer to feel extremely isolated, but helps to spotlight the relationship between the two.

“Things will go on, and then one day it will be all over”

This feeling is further exacerbated by the stark absence of music. Anne and Georges were music teachers before retirement, instruments, stereos and records are visible in almost every room of the house; but the lack of any background sound secludes the viewer, almost trapping you within the apartment.  The scarce spotlights of song throughout the film are that much more powerful.  Coupled with the symbolism of the film: a pigeon flying in through an open window, the opening and closing of doors within the apartment, sectionalizing the environment just as Georges copes with his wife’s health, his promises to her, and the pleadings of his daughter, to have Anne admitted to professional medical care. Further somber is the torment of Anne, as her health declines, the proud woman is a prisoner within her own failing body.  Anyone who has experienced the first hand, close-up loss of a loved one will be personally reflective in her pain.  Surely this was the intention of the filmmaker.

“I don’t remember the film either, but I remember the feeling”

Amour has met with universal acclaim from critics internationally.  Already having received numerous awards from varied festivals including the aforementioned Palme D’Or.  Even so, Amour is not for the uninitiated to European cinema; and its reflections and beauty play on the vacant loneliness of a loving caretaker watching their life-long mate suffer.  While this does elicit the expected response from most, and absolutely fulfills the prerequisite of art- to cause emotion, it is not a new take, or an original story.  While the story is beautiful, it is not an isolated act of angelic love between spouses, immediately after viewing, I felt as if the filmmakers were only taking advantage of ‘low-hanging fruit’ to illicit the emotional response premeditated by its writers.  The real treasure within Amour is found with the performances of its stars, Jean-Louis Trintignant and Emmanuelle Riva.  But the investment of the viewer is only beneficial to those that appreciate the talent in the performances and European cinema- all others may quickly be bored and lose focus. Amour has had a widespread European release, but very limited distribution in the states.  Entirely in French, with a running time of 122 minutes, and currently nominated for Best Picture at the 84^th annual Academy Awards, Amour will be available on DVD and Blu-ray in April, 2013.