Luihin ja ytimiin

A sea nymph and a fighter. Water and land. Poetic romance and social drama. The elliptically conveyed, agitatedly filmed introduction, during which questions are raised more than they are answered, is reminiscent of the Dardenne brothers’ social dramas (which is also due to the relationship between a father and his son in an extreme situation). We don’t know from where or from whom Ali and Sam are fleeing; the important thing for them right now is to resolve basic existential problems – having something to eat, a place to sleep and a way to earn money. The protagonist’s struggle with the world around him is made more intense by the logic of nature, because for Alain, life is a fight. Audiard doesn’t leave the realm of social drama even in the following minutes, but only enriches the feminine element with more levels of meaning and mood. The lives of Stephanie and Alain complement each other with fateful urgency both figuratively and in images (when her accident is followed by a cut to Alain, who is being passed by an ambulance at that moment). Only together do they form a complete person, one body (almost literally during the sex scenes). Audiard’s fascination with the human body here arises from the condition and nature of the characters. Through brutal fights and short-term sex partners, Alain convinces himself of his own courage and virility and his ability to face everyday reality as a man. His constant and self-destructive need to fight seems to be a rejection of the situation into which his status as a social outsider has thrown him. At the same time, his tenacity makes him an inspiration for Stephanie, whose accident has taken her on a journey from shock and denial to resigned depression. He fights against the world; she hides from it. The motivations for their coming together are not as banal as those in romances, where love conditions and sorts out everything. In order to see not only the cruelty of the world, but also its beauty, they have to accept themselves, learn to accept defeats and live with the hand that they have been dealt. Like Haneke’s Amour, Rust and Bone also reflects the current crisis of interpersonal relationships when it warns against egotistically fighting solely for oneself. A shared struggle is perhaps more difficult, be it gives us the priceless feeling that we belong somewhere and live for someone. 75% (29.03.2013)

French filmmakers have a pretty interesting kink: making films about incredibly unlikeable people. And they do it so well that you can watch them without problem and even root for the hero. Rust and Bone is not by any means the first film where I noticed this, it actually happens to me regularly with French films. Maybe it’s simply because the French are not nice. Audiard is a master of his craft and his new film has very beautiful and enthralling visuals, and Marion Cotillard is perfect, but the emotions never arrive and in the end I missed the catharsis I was expecting. 70 % (14.12.2012)

Marion Cotillard convinced me many times of what a great actress she is. She shows it again in this movie and she has no problem with showing everything. I mean literally everything. The story in itself is flawless, it throws one fuck up after another at the Belgian guy worn down by life. But it’s not all up to him. He is complemented by Marion Cotillard, who even loses her legs. Overall, in this movie the characters have to deal with crap after crap and I am fascinated how they manage to navigate their lives through it. Maybe that’s why the movie interested me so much and I watched it with suspense till the end, because for every fuck up there was a really intense scene… and in the filmmaking world, that’s a decent win for the audience. (10.09.2013)

A raw romance about a girl without legs and a guy who has a serious problem with aggression. Audiard shot something in moderation that isn't inherently absolutely measured... and it just works. Legs off, knocking out teeth, broken bones and somewhere in between the love rusts a little. Romance as it should be. Really good. (27.03.2013)

A raw odyssey with an utterly authentic look and a classic narrative, but 21 Grams is emotionally and qualitatively a class above, and it's not because it's more viewer-friendly or plot-driven. (17.08.2015)

A very strong and yet seemingly ordinary story at first glance. A pair of very incompatible people come together based on circumstances that are definitely not favorable. Nevertheless, a strong bond can form between them, which will help both of them. The complexity of human relationships knows no limits. (19.05.2014)