The film starts medias in res with Joan (Huppert) driving a car through the night to some location. While she is driving, she introduces herself in a monologue.
Then a flashback: Ireland: Doug (Hardwicke) looks Joan (Mavor) in the eye, smiles at her and successfully steals an old lady's necklace. Joan sees this, but does not make the old lady aware of the theft. This continues into a romantic episode, which soon fades when Joan is arrested for stealing together with Doug and has to go back to France.
Present: Doug (Townsend) by chance meets Joan (Huppert) in Paris. From the ensuing dialogue, we get to know, that Joan and Doug have lived separate lives ever since Joan went back to France.
Judging by the dialogue, one could think, that the rest of the movie would be about Joan and Doug getting back together, but no, Doug is merely a side character. There is only one main character here: Joan.
This movie is not about romance or deep relations, no, no, no. This movie is about Joan's psyche and her condition, that is very subtly hinted at: the early stages of Alzheimer's disease.
Present Joan is confused, forgets things and dependent on Tim and Nathan. Past Joan is sharp-witted, on top of her game and bosses both of them around (Although Nathan is quite unruly). Both sides are wonderfully portrayed by Isabelle Huppert.
The film tries to give us insight into the confusion Joan feels and the nostalgia she has for her memories.
Over all, this is a good drama and I will probably watch it another time, because there surely are metaphors, that I missed. That said, it does have its weaknesses: Some scenes seem rather forced or added purely for shock value.
I'd still recommend you watch this, if you like emotional psycho dramas.
Then a flashback: Ireland: Doug (Hardwicke) looks Joan (Mavor) in the eye, smiles at her and successfully steals an old lady's necklace. Joan sees this, but does not make the old lady aware of the theft. This continues into a romantic episode, which soon fades when Joan is arrested for stealing together with Doug and has to go back to France.
Present: Doug (Townsend) by chance meets Joan (Huppert) in Paris. From the ensuing dialogue, we get to know, that Joan and Doug have lived separate lives ever since Joan went back to France.
Judging by the dialogue, one could think, that the rest of the movie would be about Joan and Doug getting back together, but no, Doug is merely a side character. There is only one main character here: Joan.
This movie is not about romance or deep relations, no, no, no. This movie is about Joan's psyche and her condition, that is very subtly hinted at: the early stages of Alzheimer's disease.
Present Joan is confused, forgets things and dependent on Tim and Nathan. Past Joan is sharp-witted, on top of her game and bosses both of them around (Although Nathan is quite unruly). Both sides are wonderfully portrayed by Isabelle Huppert.
The film tries to give us insight into the confusion Joan feels and the nostalgia she has for her memories.
Over all, this is a good drama and I will probably watch it another time, because there surely are metaphors, that I missed. That said, it does have its weaknesses: Some scenes seem rather forced or added purely for shock value.
I'd still recommend you watch this, if you like emotional psycho dramas.
