Audience Member
The dialogue between the two "lovers" in this movie is unvarnished, ugly and devastating, probably the closest thing to truth in its subject matter that you will see in a film. Also effective is the way, repeatedly, one breakup scene ends only to roll right into the couple together again behaving like nothing happened, with no silly reconciliation scenes to soften the disappointment you feel for both characters. As an American, it's also interesting to see depicted the wife's role in her husband's affair, while not glossing over the sadness at its root but also without a bunch of pointless moralizing.
Rated 4.5/5 Stars •
Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars
02/18/23
Full Review
Audience Member
In view of my kick-start to learn French, I will watch more French-speaking output, so today my random pick is Maurice Pialat's second feature film, Pialat is often cited as an unsung maestro among his generation, so never to late to begin a voyage into a new auteur's world.
WE WON'T GROW OLD TOGETHER, the title is self-evident for its glum denouement, the story centres on a couple, Jean (Yanne) and Catherine (Jobert, the future mother of Eva Green!), their suffocating relationship is undergone a sea change after 6 years together, meanwhile, Jean's estranged wife (yes, he is still married) Françoise (Méril) is back, but don't expect she is going to fight for Jean, it is way too melodramatic for a Gallic love battlefield, from A to Z it is a tug-of-war between Jean and Catherine.
continue reading my review on my blog: http://wp.me/p1eXom-1Au
Rated 3/5 Stars •
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
02/05/23
Full Review
Audience Member
I understand why this film is respected. The lead actors are exceptional and the film is experimental in the way "the story" is presented. But, for me, I really could not understand the dynamics of this relationship. That being stated, I was not sorry for having watched it. Some of the ideas floated around my head for several days and, even though I may not have really understood these two characters, their actions and choices were very interesting.
Rated 3.5/5 Stars •
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
01/29/23
Full Review
walter m
In "We Won't Grow Old Together," Catherine(Marlene Jobert) and Jean(Jean Yanne) have been having an affair for six years. Despite his being married for eleven years to Francoise(Macha Meril) and Jean and Catherine's apparent inability to get along together, Jean decides he wants to move to the next level with his mistress by retrieving his grandmother's engagement ring.(If one were of a cynical outlook, then one could say that Jean's tragedy comes from treating his mistress like his wife and his wife like his mistress.) However, even though she has long wanted to get married by the age of 25, Catherine balks at this proposal which drives Jean further up the wall. In case you are wondering, frequent traveler Francoise has long known about this affair, as do Catherine's parents(Christine Fabrega & Jacques Galland). Only in France.
You can have your flashy alien invasions. I'll take a dreary domestic drama, any day, thank you very much. And with "We Won't Grow Old Together," we have the 1972 World Passive Agressive Champions. What stops the movie from fully succeeding is not the volume level, but the movie's structure, jumping from one episode of arguing and put-downs(rat thighs?) to another, possibly making the audience wonder if the couple hadn't already...before the movie eventually just comes to a halt. So, maybe a non-chronological structure would have been the way to go.
Rated 3/5 Stars •
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
03/31/23
Full Review
Audience Member
what a sad state of affairs that this fantastic film doesn't even have a poster. probably the most emotional truth i've ever encountered in a movie
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
02/09/23
Full Review
Audience Member
Not my favourite Pialat, though I've only wtahced one other, but still, it might be that I understood little of it because It felt like I had a hard time being sympathetic though it could, as with the other film, the director tries his best to put a distance on the audience, to dissect it clearly and considering this was based on his own life, I found the cross-section satisfying on the bizarre nature of adult love and the point being hardest on the word love.
Rated 4.5/5 Stars •
Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars
01/31/23
Full Review
Read all reviews
>
