I've Loved You So Long

My wife and I take for granted that French films will contain a measurable amount of angst, just as American films will contain a significant amount of bravado. "I've Loved You So Long" does not disappoint on this account. Nevertheless, the story is rich enough to lose oneself in, for an hour or two, and the city of Nancy and surrounding countryside are pleasant enough to help the rest of the way. Kristin Scott Thomas gives a strong performance as a half-English French woman caught up in circumstances that send her to prison for a long stretch. She is released to live with her younger sister, who only partially remembers her, and her family. The family is lovable and watchable. The sister is believable and drawn well enough to balance some of the focus. Subtitles and gratuitous smoking.