Lourdes

This has been one of our finest films of the year, and on re-watching it stands up to all that, and more.
The film was less stomach-grabbing than remembered, less awkward and nervous. What was instead found was an incredible sense of stillness and silenc; the shots could never go on too long, the laid out (but not drawing intention to themselves) composotions inviting endless looks. Some of the shots also look particularly interesting, in so far as they are peeks with some of the action obscured in a black; even half the screen.
The study of Catholicism is undoubtedly ambiguous. The path towards a critique though is more opened than we remembered, perhaps the film does come out in one direction. It does seem to have a message; that it is love, of Mr Carre for companionship, for togetherness, that is important.
As far as the content, we again sympathise hugely with Mrs Carre, who is in many ways the emotional heart of the film. Sylvie Testud's performance is quiet and cold, we study her as much as we feel with her.
Again, this film is one of the finest of, frankly, modern European film making. What may look slow from the outside is in fact never long enough; beautifully timed shots studying the look of life. The quiet, the in-betweens. We remain with some sensational final shots. The wonderfully entertaining and catchy, but idiotic, karaoke, and that look at Testud, whose thoughts we are asked to infer, the most powerful way.