Crisp Criticism - "Two Days, One Night", "Before I Go to Sleep", "This is Where I Leave You"

by

Julien Faddoul

Two Days, One Night ***

A solar-panel factory employee who has recently suffered a nervous breakdown has one weekend to convince her colleagues they must give up their bonuses in order for her to keep her job.

Totally absorbing Belgium film about retaining self-wroth through the dichotomy of work and grace, shot with the directors’ typical naturalistic eye. Though this plot is their most affected, their meticulousness and care remains unparalleled.

wd – Jean-Pierre Darenne, Luc Dardenne

ph – Alain Marcoen

pd – Marie-Hélène Dozo

ed – Igor Gabriel

cos – Maïra Ramedhan Levi

p – Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Luc Dardenne, Denis Freyd

Cast: Marion Cotillard, Fabrizio Rongione, Catherine Salée, Christelle Cornil, Olivier Gourmet, Pili Groyne, Simon Caudry, Batiste Sornin, Timur Magomedgadzhiev

Before I Go to Sleep

A woman wakes up every day, remembering nothing as a result of a traumatic accident in her past until new truths emerge that force her to question everyone around her.

Uninvolving thriller that only holds one’s attention through its sheer ludicrousness.

wd – Rowan Joffe   (Based on the Novel by S.J. Watson)

ph – Ben Davis

pd – Kave Quinn

m – Ed Shearmur

ed – Melanie Oliver

cos – Michelle Clapton

p – Mark Gull, Avi Lerner, Lisa Marshall, Matthew O’Toole

Cast: Nicole Kidman, Colin Firth, Mark Strong, Anne-Marie Duff, Dean-Charles Chapman, Rosie MacPherson

This is Where I Leave You

A Jewish family that isn't used to observing their faith's traditions is forced to fulfill their father's final wish and sit Shivah together for an entire week.

Disgusting and patronizing movie about characters who don't deserve to complain as much as they do. A failure on every level.

d – Shawn Levy

w – Jonathan Tropper   (Based on the Novel by Jonathan Tropper)

ph – Terry Stacey

pd – Ford Wheeler

m – Michael Giacchino

ed – Dean Zimmerman

cos – Susan Lyall

p – Jeff Levine, Shawn Levy, Paula Weinstein

Cast: Jason Bateman, Tina Fey, Jane Fonda, Adam Driver, Rose Byrne, Corey Stoll, Kathryn Hahn, Connie Britton, Timothy Olyphant, Dax Shepard, Debra Monk