Duplicity

The trailer for "Duplicity" is either an abject failure or surprising success. By taking a couple of scenes out of context and presenting them as typical of the movie, the trailer nearly dissuaded me from seeing the movie, at all. On the other hand, the trailer left me with low expectations, pleasantly surprising me when the movie was much better than the trailer suggested.

Julia Roberts gives a maturely restrained performance as she embraces a refreshingly middle-aged character who, clearly, has been around. She outshines a seemingly put-upon Clive Owens, who comes off as a bit whiny. The dialogue is zippy and fast moving, as is the out of sequence time scheme. While it left me wanting more, you won't fall asleep at this one.

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.