Review of The Double Life of Véronique (1991) by X. T — 06 Apr 2007

It's awfully hard to decide whether this film, or the Decalogue, or Red is Kieslowski's best work, but this is definitely his most mysterious and abstract film. In an otherworldly performance that earned her the Best Actress award at Cannes, Irene Jacob (who learned to speak Polish fluently just for this film) plays the dual role of a pair of doppelhangers, both of whom are gifted with beautiful voices. When one dies, the other senses it and avoids making the same mistake that led to the other's death, even though they have never known each other's existence. Kieslowski here is suggesting a mystical and spiritual connection between their souls. This is one of the most metaphysical films I've ever experienced. To say that it is a minimalistic film due to the lack of dialogue does not do the film justice. It is an unique visual and audio experience. The soul-shattering score is completely diegetic - its source is within the narrative. Likewise, the use of motifs such as reflections and strings suggests the character's duality and their connection. The Double Life of Veronique is a film that does not provide an explanination for anything, rather it's a film that make its audience ponder the mysteries of the human soul and its desire for connection.

Ps. Amelie fans should will notice that Jeunet pays homage to the sequence involving Veronique and the audio cassette in Amelie, which pales in comparison to that of Veronique.