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| Georges (Jean-Louis Trintignant) is troubled by wife's (Emmanuelle Riva) recent strokes in Amour. |
There's nothing quite like sitting through one of Michael
Haneke's films. The Austrian director has a tendency for scrutinizing the world
through a bleak, somewhat disturbing lens that challenges even his most
optimistic audiences. His latest film, Amour,
is no exception and his most rational view on the gloomier moments in life. The
title itself, which translates as "Love," immediately throws
audiences for a loop, who presume to be uplifted by geriatric romance.
Check all those positive vibes at door, because instead,
we're treated to over two hours of a devastating study of decay and dying,
solely focused on an elderly Parisian couple. As soon as the opening credits
end, the first shot is a fire brigade breaking an apartment door only to reveal
a rotting corpse adorned in flowers. Already hitting audiences with a
heavy-hearted impression, Amour
quickly turns back the clocks to disclose who Georges (Jean-Louis Trintignant) and
Anne (Emmanuelle Riva) were and what specific episodes brought about this grim
finale.