Review of Mademoiselle Chambon (2009) by Mark A — 18 Jan 2011

This was a lovely film that dealt with choices and how sometimes the very act of choosing causes pain no matter which choice one makes. The two lead actors, Vincent Lindon (Jean) and Sandrine Kiberlain (Veronique) gave us characters who conveyed their feelings with few words.

There were silences that in another context might have been uncomfortable, but here felt completely natural because of the emotional presence of these two fine actors. The pace is slow, and does seem to drag at times, but the lovely scenery and the moral dilemma faced by these star-crossed lovers helps to assuage the languor one feels at times.

Aure Atika plays Jean's wife (Anne-Marie), and her eyes tell us that she knows something is not quite right, but in true European fashion, rather than confront, she waits patiently for Jean to sort out his feelings.

This is not a simple story. This seems like real people dealing with real moral choices and one feels that strong bonds are being tested. Those bonds that survive may thereby be stronger for the testing.