Rosetta

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john S one of the most influential films on art house cinema, a must watch! Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 11/10/24 Full Review Kevin L Bit too gut-punch to wanna watch again, but this is pure Dardenne brothers. Down and out, and down...and down... But the lead performance by Émilie Dequenne simply brilliant. She just seems to literally be Rosetta- a girl in a perpetual state of clawing uphill for even a hint of hope or normalcy. Through the camera work of Marcoen and the Dardennes' skillful film making, we gaze in on the life of an individual who does all that she possibly can to climb out of the hole that society has made impossible to climb out of in the majority of circumstances for far more people than most can imagine. The Dardennes don’t paint Rosetta as a heroine who, but as a girl who has been thrown into a world that no one should ever have to experience, and the raw and human reactions that come with that. She represents the marginalized; the forgotten. This is barebones film making execution. The brothers manage to convey so much about what so many people must do to make it in a world that shows no mercy. It displays how desperate some must be, whether it be rational desperate action through Rosetta or irrational desperate action through her mother. You can’t watch the movie and not realize that whatever you have, you should be thankful for. The cinematography may turn some off, as the shaky camera work and low budget look of the movie may be mistaken as poor quality cinema. And the ending may leave some viewers confused as to what Rosetta's plan is and why it ends so abruptly. But it works. 3.4 stars Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 07/19/24 Full Review Dave S Desperate to avoid a fate similar to that of her promiscuous, alcoholic mother, 17-year-old Rosetta (Emilie Duquenne) struggles to find employment in a job market that seems to have little or no interest in what she has to offer. An early offering from writers and directors Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne, Rosetta is nothing if not consistent with their overall body of work – an austere social commentary on the struggles of the economically disadvantaged. The performances are strong throughout, the probing handheld camerawork, dizzying at times, is effective, and the messages regarding the unfairness of life are hammered home relentlessly. While it may not be at the same level of some of the later films from the Dardennes, it's a great introduction to what the brothers have to offer. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/25/24 Full Review S R 1001 movies to see before you die. This was unique, but I struggled with it since I didn't identify with the main character. It was good to learn about this odd peripheral culture in France though and I appreciate what the goal was. However, I do not like the shaky camera narrative. It was on HBO. Rated 1.5/5 Stars •  Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 04/04/23 Full Review Audience Member A Sysiphean tragedy that's difficult to watch and really depressing because of its realism. Brilliantly filmed and acted but hard to recommend. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/28/23 Full Review William L A stripped-down drama on the desperation of the working class, Rosetta may trend towards idealism in its depiction of a character that steadfastly refuses charity despite her unfortunate circumstances, but makes up for it in style. Instead of sweeping orchestras accompanying Émilie Dequenne's Rosetta as she looks up from gutters, or slipping into heavy-handed theme delivery by placing Rosetta's story in a glamorous city with a seedy underbelly, this breakout film from the Dardenne Brothers delivers its story through intimacy and visual realism. Tight on scope, incorporating shaky camerawork to mimic the frantic and unstable nature of Rosetta's circumstances, and never overextending itself, the film conveys a sense of determination and sympathy without coming across as pandering. The design is genuinely influential - even today this sort of close-shot, 'window into a hidden world' story is a well-regarded way to portray the struggles of the working class. The film depicts the conflicts of job security and personal independence well, but you can just see libertarians drooling over this protagonist; "don't take handouts, but absolutely rat out your coworkers to get ahead". (3.5/5) Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/27/22 Full Review Read all reviews

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