Review of The Double Life of Véronique

I watched this film a second time because I thought I might have missed something during my first viewing. It turned out I hadn't, but with the second viewing I had a better understanding of the two characters and who they were in relation to each other. Portrayed by Irene Jacob, both Weronika and Veronique share some sort of psychic link which is broken when Weronika collapses and dies during a musical performance. Weronika's death and burial so soon into the picture is somewhat jarring, as it leaves one feeling that an integral character in the story had no opportunity to impact the outcome. That feeling of confusion moves along in the story as Veronique struggles to learn the identity of a secret benefactor who makes unidentified phone calls and sends her packages with odd enclosures.

How can one best describe the film? It's erotic and seductive to be sure, as well as sensitive, dreamy, romantic, ethereal and mesmerizing. At the same time it can be mysterious and incomprehensible. Director Krzysztof Kieslowski allows the viewer to individually interpret his movies and this one struck me as a dreamscape, almost as if the characters of Weronika and Veronique weren't real in the first place. The effect is so disorienting that it will take some time for me to discover whether I liked it or not. I lean toward the former, though with a sense of apprehension, as seeing it again at another time might prove to move me in a different direction.