I tend to write quite a lot about horror movies, Eurosleaze and obscure B-movies. How about something completely different. Why not a critically acclaimed French drama? Just the fact that I love horror and trash, doesn't mean I don't like serious drama or arthouse movies.
    I was recommended the 2009 production SOMEONE I LOVED by a colleague, and since I love France and the French, I attended a press screening.     

The movie opens with an extreme close-up of a crying woman's face: pale, kind of moisty, ugly. I immediately changed my mind. Why the hell did I choose to see this? Sure, it's based on a novel by Anna Gravalda, who wrote the pretty charming HUNTING AND GATHERING, but still - I don't want to watch ugly dramas about pale women crying.
    The woman travels to her father-in-law Pierre's (Daniel Auteuil) house in the country. The woman has been abandoned by her husband; Pierre's son. It sure is depressive. I feel like leaving. I crawl up in my chair and try to sleep.
    But after 20-30 minutes, the married Pierre decides to tell the woman about his Big Secret. About the Love of His Life. He starts telling about a business trip to Hong Kong, and suddenly his french interpreter shows up and smiles right into the camera ... and I pop up like a spring. Boing!
    The actress name is Marie-Josée Croze. Born in Québec. Beautiful like an early summer morning.
    Pierre was much younger when had his intense and secret romance with Mathilde, but in the long flashback scenes, Pierre is his older self; he just kind of walks into his memories, and it works rather well.
    ...And the movie becomes much, much better after this romance, the real story of the movie, gets going. It's enjoyable. Well acted. Romantic.
    But now, a little more than a month since I saw it, I can't say it made any great impression on me. There really isn't much to say about SOMEONE I LOVED.
    The only thing I REALLY remember, is the wonderful Mlle Croze. Speaking French. A language that can make me melt - if spoken by a beautiful woman.