DEUX JOURS, UNE NUIT (2 DAYS, ONE NIGHT) ****
Directed by Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne
Belge brother filmmakers Luc and Jean-Pier Dardennes' latest Cannes hit is once again a working class character drama set in a small town in Belgium. 2 DAYS, 1 NIGHT benefits from the impeccable performance of Oscar Winner Marion Cotillard who plays working class mother and wife, Sandra. Cotillard has already won many awards around the world for this role.
The film’s premise is simple. Sandra has the weekend i.e. two days and a night to convince her workers to give up their year end bonus so the company will let her keep her job. She has already convinced the manager to have a second secret ballot vote Monday after it was learnt that her supervisor, Jean- Marc had scared the workers to initially vote against her. Sandra sets out to talk to each of her co-workers one by one and bring them over to her side.
This is the stuff of high drama, made more intense for the fact that Sandra has just returned to work after a mental illness leave and that she is struggling with her crippling self doubt. On the plus side, her loving husband, Mano (Fabrizio Rongione) encourages her on.
With Sandra going to individually visit 9 workers, this makes for 9 separate vignettes, with different characters each with their own views. Sandra’s workers are just as hard up for the money, many needing it to survive, but some willing to make a sacrifice. The film alternates between sadness and joy as some rally to her side and some do not. A crucial suicide segment is marvellously treated with humour (and taste) by the Dardenne Brothers.
The Dardennes often shoot with close-ups to heighten the drama’s tension. In Rosetta and Le Fils, the camera literally follows the back of the neck of a key character. The camera is not that close in the film but it often feels as if there is an invisible arm connected to a camera close by to the side of Sandra’s head.
There is a slightly predictable twist to the story at the end. But the best part is the ambiguity provided by the Jean-Marc character who only appears at the film’s end on the Monday morning voting. Jean-Marc denies the allegations that he has adversely advised the workers against Sandra. Whether this is true or false is left to the audience to decide. Jean-Marc is also played by one of Dardennes favourite actors, and it is not difficult to guess (and a pleasant surprise to see) who he is.
The Dardennes favour child characters stuck in a grown-up world of despair (LA PROMESSE, THE KID WITH A BIKE, L’ENFANT). 2 NIGHTS deals largely with an adult character for a change but the result is no less devastating. The Dardennes have continuously made excellent films and this winner is no different. And I have seen every Dardennes film.