Alain E
A fantastic film for people who love Kieslowski. The three colors theme refer to the “tricolor “ French flag, but the movie is situated in the French speaking part of Switzerland. Throughout, we follow several stories of random occurrences, loss and near tragedy. Irene Jacob and Trintignant are superb. Excellent color cinematography and very good music by his steady collaborator Zbigniew Preisner, including the piece credited to the fictitious composer Van den Budenmayer. And also the recurring theme of an elderly person struggling to deposit a bottle for recycling.
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
08/01/25
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Will G
A great French film. This was my favorite movie in the three colors trilogy. I enjoyed the ballet scenes. There was romance. There were some scenes about a judge. Tres intéressant.
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
07/03/25
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Stephen C
Success in 1 hour and 36 minutes!!!!!!!!!! In French (France) and English versions, each with English subtitles!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
06/07/25
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Pip S
My favorite trilogy. Magical closing of the incredible Kieslowski.
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
01/24/25
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Kyle M
From the characters to interweaving story elements distinguished in signifying how much one part becomes memorably meaning for us upon watching it alongside others solidifies a realized notion that Krzysztof Kieslowski envisioned but unintentionally impressed through his “Three Colours” trilogy, an enriching cinematically thematic build. Its artistry focus definitely ranks this amongst other critically favorable trilogies across film, and it’s debatable how the “Back to the Future” trilogy is the 20th century’s last [formal] trilogy, concurrently with “The Godfather” on a supposedly inconstant note, for what it’s become while this must’ve settled in preparation for the trilogies that came to be structurally. However, the difference being is that the finishing bookend may’ve been the built peak as sensed in the reception, “Three Colours: Red”, while proven perfectly coursed, remains substantially problematic over the drawn lengths.
When researching the meaning behind the titular color and how it relates to being the third ideal patch for the French Revolution flag expressing fraternity, which practically, fully establish trust per carried familiarity, red symbolizes passion being emotionally defined, variously depending on the shade, but the subplot is connectively complex when portraying the withheld jealousy and anger. Here we have part-time model Valentine (Irene Jacob) who meets a reclusive retired judge Joseph Kern (Jean-Louis Trintignant) after accidentally running over his dog (the dog survives shortly later). Upon their first meeting, she finds him listening in his neighbors’ phone calls just to feed his worn cynicism from his days overlooking many court trials, justifying his belief that the truth secretly lies in those wavelength communications. She initially scolds him outrage over his invasiveness but their debate over the matter converses to forming an unexpected bond. Meanwhile, while Kern provides little details over his past, we may grasp such parallels through Auguste (Jean-Pierre Lorit), a law student who has just passed his bar exam to become a judge till the support he received from a loving relationship darkens over a certain revelation that changes his demeanor.
Kieslowski’s thematic handle accumulates amid beautiful finalization of his directorial vision before his retirement (and death two years later) with the colorful usage of the aligned focus still differs from its predecessors. “Blue” is an emittance, “White” is a canvas, and “Red” is embodiment expressed through materials and surroundings reinforcing the heartened truism, unless the occasional opposite of fateful brewing. Many trilogies ascend narratively, but Kieslowski focused on the elementally accompanied patterns that are interconnected as motifs and piled parallels. Julie connected with others during her grief, Karol rebuilt his life for the better via positive influences vice versa, and now Kern opening up to Valentine softens both perspectives, a built testament of trust that this final patch polishes so well. In another degree onto that aspect, as interestingly demonstrated elsewhere, the symbolic role of a dog in connecting others gets played as a more active embodiment to motivate the plot, but it’s rather problematically sensitive. An unorthodox balance as Kern’s dog brings an unexpected bond between two strangers that heals his reclusive edge, but Auguste’s dog distresses this viewing to the point of unbearable when he’s become the target of his owner’s frustrations. This unnecessary length signifies how it should’ve been written better when resorting to such cruelty, particularly the unforgivably implied fate at the end, affects the film’s enjoyment level greatly albeit the overall conversational engagement – and the substantial growth.
While Kieslowski seems to increase his subtly taut ambition under eased completion, this film’s production merits show evident skillful buildup as the trilogy progressed. Agreeably so, “White” is the light-hearted focus, being character-driven coasting on a familiar structural storyline. “Red” circles back to “Blue” in tonal deliverance, significantly felt by composer Zbigniew Preisner’s opportune score considered haunting; aligned with beneficial evocation impeccably captured by this installment’s cinematographer Piotr Sobocinski. Both have a hand in vivid poeticism behind the film’s positional third/final act that rightfully accumulates as it needed to be.
Aside from the aforementioned treatment, both Kieslowski and Krzysztof Piesiewicz, the trilogy’s constant writers, treated as with another complex ambiguity regarding how the characters slightly connect. Through Trintignant’s performance instilling the vulnerable wisdom that secondarily reflects onto Jacob’s Valentine, an underlying notion gets picked up as he projects ambiguous parallels through Lorit’s Auguste. Could it all be a coincidence in one’s passage within differential generational commentary, or could it be prophesized since analysis surrounding his character suggests a spiritual role at play? An effective lingering ponders created speculatively outside a storyteller’s intentions, whether correct over the evoked assumptions or it shows how flexed the narrative became to enable such discussion that afterwards attributes to an established role.
“Three Colours: Blue” started the trilogy off on a minimal, decent impression note, then the engagement improves whilst furthered in “White”, which formed expectations by anticipation when coming into “Red”, only to leveled beneath but masterfully similar to the former. At the end, it’s become a rewarding experience to dive into Kieslowski’s fine artistry in picking up the shared motifs, to the extents of observational complexity piqued questionably and valuable viewpoints enriching familiar perceptions. “Red” may not sit well, but the pre-established buildup weighs in given ranking as second-best, and that was without any need to bolster its own showcase when it is merely thematic accumulation assisted by connective realizations. Recommending this is strict as it can only be truly grasped from watching its ideally accompanied predecessors, so, in other words, it’s the matter of recommending this trilogy, and the worthwhile entertainment value has been proven throughout. (B)
Rated 3.5/5 Stars •
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
12/25/24
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Not R
The best one which is saying a lot
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
02/14/24
Full Review
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