Two Days, One Night [Blu-ray]

Since half stars aren't possible, I'm rounding up to 5 stars. As a die-hard Dardenne Brothers (DB) fan, I agree with the others that this film isn't quite at La Promesse-level, but it doesn't fall too short. True to their vision and style: moral dilemma, working-class world, no music, no fancy cinematography and editing. And it's far better than Lorna's Silence, a disappointing deviation from their usual fare.Cotillard is riveting, ditto Rongione as her heroic, supportive husband. As with all DB films, the acting by the supporting cast is artless. Fan club members will instantly recognize some of them - Rongione, Olivier Gourmet, Marinne - from their other films. So grateful that Dardenne films are available here! Two Days, One Night is absolutely worth watching.

TWO DAYS, ONE NIGHT stars Marion Cotillard and is directed by the Dardenne Brothers (and is the first by them that I've seen). It is about a woman (Marion Cotillard) who faces being laid off after being sick so that her co-workers can get a bonus. Since she wants to keep her job (and avoid going on the dole), she goes to each of her co-workers to convince them to vote for her to stay. Despite an extremely simple plot that gets a little repetitive, this film was surprisingly engaging on an emotional level, even if it didn't seem that cinematic at times. It's hard not to sympathize with the character Cotillard plays simply because her situation is so dire. Amidst economic uncertainty, the prospect of losing one's job is difficult, even in a semi-socialist society like France's. I thought the film also illustrated how solidarity can be used to positive effect. When faced with a hard decision, do you go with the selfish option or do you stand in defense of your peers? The answer to this isn't definitively given, although it leans more in the positive/non-selfish direction. As far as the performances go, I thought this was the best I've seen Marion Cotillard do (although I haven't seen LA VIE EN ROSE). The other members of the cast also did well. From a technical standpoint, everything from the on-location shooting, documentary-style camerawork and lack of a score gave the film a very naturalistic feel that worked in tandem with the material, presenting a very naked, unpretentious look at some very personal issues. This isn't exactly my favorite type of film to watch, but I must concede that I was never bored. I also wouldn't mind checking out some of the Dardenne Brothers' other films. For viewers who don't mind something a little slower-paced and thoughtful without being overly manipulative, you can't go wrong with this one.

Depression is the great destroyer of everything; it ruins relationships, jobs, reputations, and ultimately, physical health. Knowing that, this film was refreshing to watch. While the plot itself may seem insignificant - a woman fights for her right to keep working at her job after being out on mental health sick leave - the hurdles are insurmountable for those cursed with this condition. Marion Cotillard gives an outstanding performance; previously i was only familiar with her work in The Dark Knight Rises, as an aggressive, confident woman who takes whatever she wants. In comparison, in this film, she is virtually unrecognizable as a woman battling depression; i could see and feel the weight of the world on her shoulders.The real MVPs in this film, though, are the ones who offer steadfast support to the main character. Knowing full well what challenges she faced, i cheered for her and her team who continually gave compassionate support. These days, it is a rare thing to see, and for me the film was worth watching just for this aspect alone.

It’s easy to vote for a bonus when you don’t have to see the person who gets let go but in this film you do, which makes for quite the emotional roller coaster.Makes you think how a similar situation would enfold at your job.Features are great, long informative interviews, and going back to where it was filmed.Would recommend to anyone.

All of the Dardenne brothers' films have effected me deeply and it is hard to say that one has been better than the other. Two Days, One Night is every bit as wonderful as the rest. These two men make use of their advantage as artists to bring us ethical dilemmas for our consideration. They do us all a great service by posing their questions and by focusing on the circumstances of those who struggling against great odds just to stay afloat. There are some excellent reviews here giving a synopsis of this film. If you are thinking about watching it, read some reviews first so you don't select it on the basis of liking films spoken in French or solely because Marion Cotillard is a fantastic actor. She won't disappoint you in this for one minute to be sure, but this is demanding to watch. You have to bring your own moral skills to it and this isn't always what viewers want to do. But, if you are willing to take on a challenge, this is a tremendously worthwhile film to see with a terrific ending.

One of the things about foreign cinema that relish is the simple stories those filmmakers are able to tell, and have the film be about the film -- and not be an engine for something else.TWO DAYS, ONE NIGHT is the latest film by the Belgian Dardennes Brothers; I don't know their work outside of a powerful film called ROSETTE from maybe the 90s (which is another knock-out, emotional rollercoaster). Marion Cotillard imbues a sense of humanity and pathos to a role that is direct and poignant.What we as a culture lose out on is when cinema MUST be huge in scope and operatic in emotions, and that's the path we're on. TWO DAYS, ONE NIGHT plays like a novella; its central character Sandra has a simple problem... but since in involves engaging other humans and asking them to be magnanimous, you can see why it's actually a major problem. While not neo-realistic in the sense of Da Sica's work, this film is thematically similar to THE BICYCLE THIEF in its exploration of how we get by and why we never know anyone's story until it collides with our own.

As always, Marion Cotillard is brilliant and plays her character well. This isn't one of her better films and the storyline is pretty uneventful, but that's what it is - it's about a woman who spends a weekend visiting her work colleagues trying to persuade them to vote for her keep her job. It's a clever idea for a story, but not the stuff of fast paced action and twists and turns. I liked the ending, though I guess, in this day and age, it's a bit unrealistic and somewhat out of keeping with the main body of the film - but this is just my (overly cynical) opinion.It's worth a watch.

Like most French films this was entirely naturalistic with all shots in real (i.e. non-studio) locations. Presents the very real emotional traumas facing the heroine Sandra as she visits the homes of her co-workers and pleads with them to forgo their promised bonuses and vote to have her re-employed. Although all are fond of Sandra only some can afford the financial sacrifice, and the film excites as she works her way through the remaining few in an attempt to gain a majority of votes. Sadly my `A' level French was not sufficient to cope with a good part of the dialogue, so sub-titles are a must.

This film gets fantastic reviews & Marion Cotillard apparently got a 15 minute ovation at Cannes when it was shown. She's a fabulous actress, but I didn't feel this performance was quite so special. Still an interesting film, though.

A wonderful story:restores your faith in humanity.a MUST SEE Film

Charming film where not much happens, but the main character gains self respect and self belief by not taking what she is given, and walks away with her head held high. A lesson for us all.