The Secret of the Grain

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Audience Member This was certainly a powerful story of life's purpose, meaning, and the result that random coincidences can have on it. Unfortunately, it was way too long but the conclusion was well executed. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/01/23 Full Review Audience Member Writer-director Abdellatif Kechiche, a French-Tunisian and a former actor, makes movies portraying a multi-cultural, modern France that have an exquisite intimacy that resonates unlike anything else in contemporary cinema. Kechiche frequently favors extreme close-ups, and lets scenes play out beyond normal dramatic standards, to arrive at an emotional truth without veering into melodrama. This method also allows him the freedom to elicit naturalistic performances from his remarkable cast. Habib Boufares is Slimane, an aging Tunisian immigrant, who is laid off from his job at a shipyard port, so he pursues his dream of opening a couscous restaurant. With his soft-spoken, droopy demeanor he reminded me of Umberto D. There is an extended sequence involving a family dinner gathering, and we begin to see in great detail how fractured these familial relationships are. Slimane has a mistress (Leila D'Issernio), and is affectionate with her entrepreneurial daughter (Hafsia Herzi), but also seeks the help of his ex-wife (Bouraouia Marzouk), a couscous cook. In the final hour-long sequence, the entire family is brought together to assist Slimane in opening the restaurant, but things don't go according to plan and the occasion turns into a tragic-comedy on French socioeconomics. In a film filled with amazing performances, particularly among all the beautiful women, newcomer Herzi is a standout. An extraordinarily sensual beauty of Algerian and Tunisian descent, Herzi performs an astonishingly vigorous, seductive belly dance that left me agog. Written by Kechiche and Ghalia Lecroix. In French with English subtitles. Rated 4.5/5 Stars •  Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 02/23/23 Full Review Audience Member I like the characters and feel sympathy and comprehension for them, but that is not enough to make a movie. Rated 2/5 Stars •  Rated 2 out of 5 stars 01/25/23 Full Review Audience Member God, the first half is really boring and it has this over-complicated knot. Thank God the second half is more interesting and mind-provoking. But I think it's overuse the short-range shots and the cinematography & style aren't fresh and interesting. The cinematography just REALLY plain. And it's not really complex, and the actors ability are good. Hafsia Herzi is really excellent while Habib Boufares makes me yawning. Rated 3/5 Stars •  Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/29/23 Full Review Audience Member Neo-realist. Beautiful. Profound. And with the most life like performances I've ever seem captured on film. Modern classic. Essential viewing. One of the best films of the 21st century. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/10/23 Full Review Audience Member Exquisite, provocative, gorgeous, subtle... Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/04/23 Full Review Read all reviews

The Secret of the Grain

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