French movies tend to be deeper than American films. There is an unwritten law that we get to know the characters much better, and it is almost guaranteed the acting is going to be usually very good. "Lies" has some of the most recognizable faces in contemporary French cinema, and it promises to be an insightful look at friendship, I suppose from the French point of view. It is about friendship and communication, and it does manage to cross cultural barriers because in the end, we're pretty much alike.
The premise behind the story has been explored before, but as I mentioned before, we are going to see some sophisticated approaches here, and in one of its shortcomings, the film does run a little long. It could have benefited from a few trims, or in a wiser move, maybe some more background about who these people really are. We know they spend long stretches of time together, and they seem to enjoy the company of each other, though I was wondering how they put up with Max, a man who stands out for being distant, a little arrogant, and not too warm or as down too earth as the rest of the group. He's somehow central to the storyline, and it would have been good to know more about what he means to the rest, beside excellent beach house accommodations.
As usual, Marion Cotillard shines in her role as the woman who is not as simple as it appears. She carries emotional baggage (unexplained of course), but it is her facial expressions, her longing, her sad looks, which reveal her unhappiness. Maybe she tries too hard, or not hard enough. It's time to make a choice and decide what could work.
Vincent (Benoit Magimel) is quiet but intense, carrying a secret about himself for too long, and it is perfect timing from the director that allows him to stand out. Maybe it is the fact that he says little, and when he speaks, he says only what matters. It is an interesting performance.
There is a big question at the end of the film, and it is the incomprehensible decision about the vacation itself. There is a big event at the beginning of the film, and I didn't understand why the trip was taking place so soon. This is supposed to deliver a punch in the final scenes. Maybe it is does reveal what we don't want to know. I had questions about this type of human interaction before and wondered why sometimes the obvious takes so long to happen, if it ever. In most cases regret is usually the end result.
The premise behind the story has been explored before, but as I mentioned before, we are going to see some sophisticated approaches here, and in one of its shortcomings, the film does run a little long. It could have benefited from a few trims, or in a wiser move, maybe some more background about who these people really are. We know they spend long stretches of time together, and they seem to enjoy the company of each other, though I was wondering how they put up with Max, a man who stands out for being distant, a little arrogant, and not too warm or as down too earth as the rest of the group. He's somehow central to the storyline, and it would have been good to know more about what he means to the rest, beside excellent beach house accommodations.
As usual, Marion Cotillard shines in her role as the woman who is not as simple as it appears. She carries emotional baggage (unexplained of course), but it is her facial expressions, her longing, her sad looks, which reveal her unhappiness. Maybe she tries too hard, or not hard enough. It's time to make a choice and decide what could work.
Vincent (Benoit Magimel) is quiet but intense, carrying a secret about himself for too long, and it is perfect timing from the director that allows him to stand out. Maybe it is the fact that he says little, and when he speaks, he says only what matters. It is an interesting performance.
There is a big question at the end of the film, and it is the incomprehensible decision about the vacation itself. There is a big event at the beginning of the film, and I didn't understand why the trip was taking place so soon. This is supposed to deliver a punch in the final scenes. Maybe it is does reveal what we don't want to know. I had questions about this type of human interaction before and wondered why sometimes the obvious takes so long to happen, if it ever. In most cases regret is usually the end result.