Reviews

What a nice movie. What a wonderful story. The French actress, writer and director Sara Forestier is worthy of all praise. For having made such a touching portrait of the girl in lead in this story about love that conquers everything against all odds. For having written and directed this movie - her debut as director - about the fight to survive in a world which gives you one big challenge after the other. I left with tears in my eyes and a strong good feeling in my heart. Sara shows us with this movie that there is always hope - even in places and situations where there seem to be none.

As an extra attraction the movie lets us see the French actor Jean-Pierre Léaud - famous from François Truffaut's "Le quatre cent coups" (1959) - in the role as the girl's father.

The opening sequence in this movie is one of the most stylish I have ever seen. Including the power of perfectly formulated first uttered words that directly tells the spectator what it is all about: "The worst thing for a man who spends a lot of time alone is...". There we go. So the main character is a loner. And you immediately want to know more about him. You are hooked and the film has your full attention.

Each man is a mystery. Some big, some small. When there is a big mystery there is a good starting point for a movie. The plot in "The Consequences of Love" evolves around a man played by Toni Servillo with a secret that unfolds slowly. Slowly and gracefully in its own pace. And it is no need to hurry when the man is living in a comfortable hotel in Lugano in Switzerland. It is enjoyable to be there with him and share his daily routines, just as it is enjoyable sitting in the hotel bar in Tokyo with Bill Murray in "Lost in Translation". Toni Servillo's character has stayed at his hotel for eight years so he is in no hurry. And we have to accommodate to his speed. Or lack of speed, and that just feels good.

But just as we have accommodated to his lack of speed, things begin to happen and we are forced to leave the calm and quiet life at the hotel. And like in so many other movies it is love that triggers action.

When the first signs of love are showed between the mysterious man who is in his fifties and the girl who is much younger than him and works in the hotel bar, you start thinking a love story will unfold. But the movie is not a love story. At least not a traditional love story. No, the film just uses love as the trigger that sets action in motion. The focus stays on the loner and his actions that leads the plot to its unavoidable end, almost like in a Greek tragedy.

Having seen this movie it is also impossible not to mention the clothes. Toni Servillo's character is extremely well dressed. It's a sheer joy seeing him and you cannot help but being both impressed and inspired His wardrobe, signed the Italian fashion house Kiton, is gorgeous and made me go out shopping a new suit the day after I saw the movie. But not a Kiton suit. The handmade suits from Kiton cost between 5 000 and 15 000 USD each.