Quote arsaib4,"Yeah, I know. I missed it the last time I went back to the city. I'm going again in a couple of weeks for the "French Rendezvous" so hopefully I'll get the chance. What did you think of it? You can post your thoughts here too.


Actually, I have watched the movie quite some time ago at the Mill Valley Film Festival.
http://www.mvff.com/

I have also posted my 1 cent worth on the OLD foreignfilms.com,
so my comments and reviews are now gone ... sigh

Anyway, since you have asked about my opinions, I am most glad to share ...
As I concur with most of the reviews above, I will just highlight a FEW that might be different ...

(1) I think the director has made a number of real good decisions:

-- choose YOU (a popular actress) as the mother so that the audience will find it difficult to hate her totally ... maybe a lot of people who are quick to accuse others will also realize that at times, many of us are guilty. In our search for happiness, have we committed grave mistakes?

-- it is part acting and part real life by the children.
The director tries to let the kids "live their daily life" and meanwhile successfully captures really good scenes ...
He also tries to incorporate a lot of subtleties which bring the message across ...
e.g., the gal insisting on wearing the "noisy" slippers
e.g., the eldest kid waiting in the snow for the sharp fall in price ...

-- the director also films across the entire year so as to really capture the kids growing ...
e.g., near the end, the gal could not fit into the luggage anymore (in contrast to the beginning)
e.g., the deepening voice of the eldest kid etc
;)


(2) The story is very powerful by itself. However, I am not sure if the director's modified ending is better or the real "ending" is harsher ...

* MAJOR SPOILER *

-- in reality, the 2 young kids were dead! The gal did not die of accident (i.e., falling off a chair). The gal was "abused/killed" by the elder kid's friends when he brought them home to play. If this were depicted, I actually felt that the audience would have more mixed emotions about the eldest kid and his friends (as opposed to the now simple liking and all pity for the elder kid). Noteworthy, I am NOT suggesting the eldest kid is guilty or what, but it is a chain of events ... he bringing his friends home ... his sister ate the noodles brought by them ... they got mad and abused/killed her ... the eldest may or may not have rendered help (I am not sure) ... but by being MORE faithful to the actual events ... it can be more thought provoking ...


that's abt it ...