There are some movies that you look at the poster or the DVD cover and you know what you're in for. Then there are movies like A Very Long Engagement. At first, it looks like it's going to be your standard Romance/Chick Flick. But it's not. It's a drama, set in 1917-20 France during and after the first World War.
We're engaged. Luckily we wont have to wait until the end of the war. Now I can go straight home after [my] execution.
The plot is simple: a young man, Manech (Gaspard Ulliel), goes off to war leaving his fiancee, Mathilde (Audrey Tautou), behind. He couldn't handle the war, and one night gets his hand shot by the Germans. He's sentenced to death for self-mutilation. Manech and four others were sent over the trench into No-Man's Land to die from either the elements, starvation, or the "Jerries" bullets. Mathidle gets word about his death, but wonders if it's true.
It's not a romance, really, but a tragedy . Definitely worthwhile.
And the quote above gave me shivers.
Movie is in French with English subtitles. The title in French is Un long dimanche de fiançailles.
IMDB Information
Rated R for Violence and Sexuality (actually, very little sex, including the Jodie Foster sex scenes. All tastefully done.)
Directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet.
