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Intriguingly, Suzu is portrayed as emotionally volatile, erupting into hysterical sobbing at almost everything, crippled by self-doubt and paralysed by the thought of speaking to anyone. But then, most people in this story are afraid to express their feelings. While characters are rendered in traditional anime style, the way they move and interact is eye-catching. And the settings are simply glorious, from U's wildly fantastical population and landscapes to the lush hills and rivers of Suzu's rainy hometown.

Parallels to the familiar fairy tale are woven into the narrative, complete with several pointed visual references to the Disney classic, but events take a few distinctly dramatic turns along the way, drawing on the duality between real people and the faces they present online. And while the vicious trolls are nasty enough, it's the real-world horrors that ultimately come into focus here, highlighting society's struggle to respond to child abuse. And like her mother, Suzu ultimately realises that she can be a hero.

themes, language, violence

29.Sep.21 lff

The camerawork gives the performances a documentary realism, while the actors are expressing deeper feelings under the surface. Both Haarla and Borisov are terrific as flawed young people who begin to question their self-assured views. Each moment is played with attention to telling detail. Their trajectory rejects expectations, as the story isn't actually about their connection, even though it turns out to be powerful. And the side roles burst with personality, notably Aug as the carriage's sardonic attendant and Kostina as a woman who simply knows.

This is a movie for anyone who loves journeys, as it packs a range of experiences along the rails that challenge the intrepid Laura to broaden her view of life around her. The story recognises the inherent value of unexpected side-trips and the importance of refusing to accept that getting there is impossible. It also depicts the life-changing impact of looking at seemingly unlikely people in a deeper way. Because even if these are only brief acquaintances, they can enrich you and linger with you forever.

themes, language

21.Feb.21

Each performance has a raw authenticity that helps draw the audience in, revealing humour and emotion in encounters that are spicy, edgy, warm and moving. Zhang, Samba and Merlant reveal underlying feelings in their characters that make Emilie, Camille and Nora remarkably sympathetic, even when they cause their own problems. Alongside them, Beth has a wonderfully transformative role, while Leon-Fucien (as Camille's teen sister) and Cairaty (as another of Camille's girlfriends) have powerful moments of their own.

Audiard expertly packs scenes with discoveries about each person, revealing passions, yearnings and underlying thoughts as they circle around and connect with each other. There's a lot of teasing and joking, which makes them feel extraordinarily realistic while also exposing some defence mechanisms they use to avoid social pressures. And as their various relationships develop, the common threads have a strong kick to them, encouraging us to love ourselves more and take a chance on others.

themes, language, sexuality

21.Sep.21