A Very Long Engagement (Un Long Dimanche de Fiancailles)

Like anyone with a pulse, I adored Amelie, but haven't had a chance to see his earlier films yet. So, him re-teaming with Audrey Tautou sounded pretty divine me. I've been waiting to see A Very Long Engagement for a long while, since it didn't come anywhere near me theatrically (hooray for excuses!), so I finally got to check out Warner's beautiful DVD. Pretty impressed with it in general.

First off, it's a spectacularly gorgeous film. From Jeunet's use of color, to the impressive composition and movement, to the masterful editing, to the tastefully-done CGI. This movie says more in a single frame than some others say in entire scenes. Luckily, we've got a company like Warner doing a great job of replicating the film for home viewing.

It's very typically Jeunet-ish in its execution. Right from the start, we're shown tiny flashbacks to short moments in characters' lives to get a good grip on who they are. It straddles the line between brutal scenes of war and lyrical romanticism, which is sure to divide many who see it. Personally, I thought it was mostly well-done, but there were a few parts that I thought were just too much to bear. But for the most part, it never falters in its tone.

The only real problem stems from the plot. At time's, it's very confusing, especially for English-speaking folks, not entirely used to all the French names flying about. The film's narrative, which resembles Rashomon, or Yimou Zhang's Hero, doesn't help this either, as characters keep popping in and out of the picture. But, I think, much like Rashomon and Hero, the viewer is SUPPOSED to be disoriented and kept guessing, at least in some spots. I know a whole lot of people will just end up frustrated, though.

Great A/V on the disc, too. The video is damn near flawless. Being a war-based film, the 5.1 soundtrack is excellent as well. The bombings, gunfire, and strafing runs are all brought to life. In the quieter moments, Badalamenti's score surges up from the surrounds and envelops the listener, which makes it hard to resist the emotions in the picture. It's not perfect, but a great way to spend the time and money.