Rendez-Vous with French Cinema 2024

[Chris Knipp]

JUST THE TWO OF US/L'AMOUR ET LES FORÊTS (Valérie Donzelli 2023)

Based on the bestselling French novel L'Amour et les forêts, this stars the talented Virginie Efira as Blanche and her twin sister Rose and the prolific and often charming Melvil Poupaud as the man who marries Blanche, takes her away from her sister to a remote town and into a toxic and abusive marriage. Hitchcock, Di Palma, Chabrol, or Sirk might have made something interesting out of this, but here it may just be a rather one-note reply to French opponents or #MeToo.

Screened for this review as part of the Rendez-Vous with French Cinema at Lincoln Center, New York (Feb. 29-Mar. 10, 2024. Showtimes:
Sunday, March 3 at 6:15pm (Q&A with Valérie Donzelli)
Tuesday, March 5 at 9:15pm