Tonight I saw a movie that reminded why I went to film
school. A heart wrenching masterpiece that squeezes every bit of emotion it can
from a simple script and easy story. “Two Days, One Night”, a 2014 French film
available on Netflix stars the impeccable Marion Cotillard as a troubled factory
worker given an ultimatum symbolically kin to the current state of most
political divisions, the struggle between the selfish and the giving. She must reluctantly
beg her coworkers to vote for her to keep her job or get a salary bonus. The
ensuing struggle brings to light the depth of human capacity in dealing with
compassion and empathy.
Several scenes burst with spiritual awakening and
poignant despair enough to define our socio economic state, exposing institutionalized
social order as an exercise of tyrannical futility. Examining how fragile life
can be, our soul clutches on to Marion’s holding on for survival.
The acting is
what most sets this film apart into the realm of timelessness although an
American remade version with more production value would be gladly accepted and
could likely surpass it in gravitas under the right care. Co-Writers and co-directors
Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Luc Dardenne’s vision of finding the will to fight for change
may have missed its target but the resulting substance is much more important both
in study and form. All the acting is extremely superb; each character astonishingly
definitive in form and action. One particular performance, that of Alain Eloy as a part
time soccer coach dad, is incredibly strong, exuding a power of grace and spirituality
that is as equally rare and needed as can be found. His scene with Marion alone
is gratifyingly worth your time and whoever comes from it untouched is somewhat
soulless and needs help.
A true classic in every sense of the word with only a
few useless scenes weighing down an otherwise perfect film; Two Days, One Night
should be must viewing for all impressionable students on the brink of choosing
how to live their lives: for themselves or for all others.
