As we've learnt, it's quite hard to secure a Best Picture nomination if you're a film in anything other than the English language. In fact being a foreign film in the Best Picture category is quite an exclusive club with the most recent member being Michael Haneke's Amour.
In some ways Amour is quite an ironic title as Haneke's film focuses on an old French couple in their eighties who experience a significant trauma. After an early scene at a concert, the rest of Amour takes place in the apartment of retired piano teachers Anne and Georges. The film's story looks at Anne's increasing reliance on Georges after quietly suffering a stroke and how he reacts to the help provided. Although Haneke spoils the end of the story by putting the final scene at the beginning, it's still interesting to see how the deterioration of this once capable couple. After Anne's stroke, Georges believes she'll recover and the film slowly follows him helping her with her exercises. Unfortunately for him, just when there appears to be light at the end of the tunnel, Anne suffers a second stroke which leaves her unable to talk. After this tragic event, things start to go downhill for Georges as he shuts almost everybody else out as he feels he can care for his wife on his own. He fires a nurse he believes has been abusing Anne and chastises his daughter when she suggests they put her mother in a nursing home. Eventually, Georges does what we know he will do but Haneke makes the moment all the more shocking by preceding it with quite a mundane story. Throughout Amour, Darius Khondji's camera focuses on Anne's expressive face and this final scene is no different. Despite what Georges does we still sympathise with him primarily as we've seen what he's been through and recognise that what happened to the film's central couple could easily happen to any one of us.
Suffice to say Amour is quite a tough watch as Haneke makes you feel like you're watching a real couple suffering through Anne and Georges' plight. This is a testament to actors Emmanuelle Riva and Jean-Louis Trintignant both of whom inhabit the character of Anne and Georges for the film's two hour running time. Riva's performance was widely-acclaimed by critics and her nomination for Best Actress saw her become the oldest woman ever to receive that particular accolade. In my mind there was no way she shouldn't have won for her performance that touched almost every individual who saw the film. From the opening scene in which Khondji's camera picks them up at the theatre, Riva is an engaging screen presence and the compelling nature of her character only continues after Anne suffers her stroke. Riva makes us suffer with her and is particularly outstanding at portraying Anne's emotions after she loses the ability to speak. Trinitignant is no less spectacular, even though his performance didn't receive as much recognition as that of his on screen wife. I feel this is because Trinitignant almost acts as the straight man of the pair as he has the job of explaining the situation to both the audience and the other characters. However I found that he played Georges' frustration perfectly and his descent into despair is perfectly played by the actor. For a film about two music teachers it's interesting that for the most part there is no background music in Amour. This is most evident when we are allowed to hear certain classical pieces, most of which have some sort of resonance to Anne's history. Heartbreaking but at that same time life affirming, Amour is definitely one of the best films I've watched over the last few years. Due to its subject matter and the fact it's in a different language, it's a surprise that it even received a Best Picture nomination. However I'm glad it did as it once again proves that the Academy are broadening their horizons and looking at well-made, thought-provoking films that might not tick all the standard Best Picture sized boxes.
Next time we lighten the mood with two films suitable for all ages.
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