aka Trois couleurs: Bleu
2007 #39
Krzysztof Kieslowski | 96 mins | DVD | 15 / R
Krzysztof Kieslowski | 96 mins | DVD | 15 / R
The first in Kieslowski’s thematic trilogy based around the French flag and the values it represents.
Here it’s liberté/freedom, in this case brought about by the death of Julie’s husband and daughter in a car accident. In the lead role Juliette Binoche is the film and she carries it admirably, taking her character through a range of phases and emotions.
It takes a little time to get going but is worth it in the end (speaking of the end, it appears to have been an inspiration to films such as Donnie Darko and Magnolia).
Emily Blunt steals every scene, which is impressive alongside an Oscar-nominated Meryl Streep (that being the now-customary acting-nominee-from-a-blockbuster, est. 2004 by Mr Depp). Anne Hathaway provides the plot/emotional through-line against these performances, which is somewhat impressive when playing a lead character who morally sells out (albeit into a lifestyle that is undoubtedly desirable to the film’s intended audience).
Slowly paced and beautifully photographed, this is about as far from Disney’s telling of the story (in 
Judi Dench puts in her fourth appearance in this list (far and away the most represented actor, I should think) in Charles Dance’s first film as writer and director.
I seem to recall reading that Secretary attempts to depict a realistic and sympathetic dominant/submissive relationship. Unfortunately this seems to come a bit unstuck with the feeling that the relationship is initially based in an emotionally (and physically) abusive act against a clearly vulnerable character, leaving the following events and mutually loving resolution tinged with a hint of something akin to Stockholm Syndrome, in my opinion.
2007 #32
Judi Dench is clearly having a whale of a time in this 1930s-set comedy about a 70-year-old widow who starts up a nude revue.
People will tell you this is a comedy, when really it’s a comedy-drama. A TV critic once said, not wrongly, that a comedy-drama is something that isn’t especially funny nor especially dramatic so tries to do both.
Empire gave this film 
100Films.co.uk 