I saw this movie last night. It’s Guillaume Canet’s 2nd feature film, a thriller that’s really at heart an aching love story. As Canet explains, “C’était ma vrai volonté depuis le début, c’est d’ailleurs ce que j’ai expliqué à Alain Attal mon producteur. Je lui ai dit que si cela m’intéressait de faire ce film, c’était pour l’histoire d’amour. Du coup, je ne voulais pas le filmer comme un thriller: je voulais qu’il fasse beau, que cela se passe en été, que les lumières soient magnifiques, bref, que cela n’ait rien à voir avec les thrillers dans lesquels il pleut sans arret, et dans lesquels les personnages et musique sont sinistres.” It is beautifully filmed, and the music (with songs by Jeff Buckley, Groove Armada, and Otis Redding and an affecting score by M) is exquisite. Another big part of the film is also the love between fathers and children, which can be overwhelming. There is a chilling and moving scene in which Jean Rochefort’s character describes the terror he had of losing his son when he put him on the bus to go to school for the first time. I remember very well that experience with Lily, when she was not yet 4. If I hadn’t kept myself busy photographing and videotaping the event, I would have broken down and wept when she let go of my hand and stepped on that bus.