Actuakers One of my all time favorites.

Bereamic Awesome Movie

WillSushyMedia This movie was so-so. It had it's moments, but wasn't the greatest.

Zandra The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

reesel08 If you're in the mood for an emotional roller coaster and like to think deeply about controversial issues, than "I've Loved You So Long" is the perfect choice. Kristin Thomas, acting as Juliette, does a magnificent job portraying the lost, guilty, confused murderer that she is classified as. One scene that really stuck out was when she's yelling at her sister asking her why she is being so nice. This epitomizes her guilt and frustration with herself and the choices she's made.Juliette's sister, Lea, played by Elsa Zylberstein, shows the agony she's in with having to juggle both her sister and husband in the same house – who clearly do not start off on the best foot. Luc, the husband, labels Juliette as a killer not trusting her with his children but eventually realizes Juliette is a good person. This cast of actors/actresses works together wonderfully. Director Phillipe Claudel is not only a film director, but also a Professor of Literature at University of Nancy. Before teaching at the university, Claudel was a teacher in prisons. His experience there has shaped the plot for many of his short stories and novels, as well as screenplays. Claudel saw the effect of guilt and learned how not to judge people before you really know them. These endeavors have shown through into main themes of "I've Loved You so Long." Guilt and redemption are two prominent features in this film. It is clear that Juliette feels immense guilt for what she did, but at the same time she would do it the same if she had the chance. When her son died, Juliette died with him. Redemption is shown when people surrounding Juliette give her a second chance despite what happened years ago. She was able to get a job that led to a promotion. Throughout the film, Juliette finds redemption and the courage to face her past actions. Claudel made a wise choice in the soundtrack of this film. The guitar as the main instrument really added to the melancholy mood that the majority of the film was set in. I noticed this most during the scene when Juliette found out the parole officer killed himself, she went home to cry in her bed while the guitar in the background struck cords that matched her feelings precisely. On that same note, Juliette's make-up and clothing changed throughout the film to mimic her increasingly better mood. By the end of the movie Juliette had brighter clothes, less pale make-up, and smiled more often. Overall, I enjoyed "I've Loved You so Long," despite the slow pace of the film.

George Wright This is one of the most powerful movies I have seen in a while. I was hugely impressed by the acting of Kristin Scott-Thomas, as a woman who returns to society after 15 years in prison. Her sister opens up to her after years of separation and gives her a chance to recover her lost dignity. The interaction between the sisters is well portrayed. It is honest and loving but difficult. The sister's husband is less forgiving but Scott-Thomas does not allow them to see for themselves the tragic story she has experienced. The interaction with her sister's family is joyful, particularly as she teaches her nieces to read and play music. Even the moments she spends with her brother-in-law's ailing father are tender and beautiful. Eventually the movie reaches a point where the full story cannot be concealed any longer. The outcome is one we can hardly anticipate until we begin to see clues that the sister pursues relentlessly. The movie gives us the story of a woman who has lost her self-esteem but gradually regains it as she works through the quagmire after years of isolation. The sister and her spouse, a comfortable couple who are flawed but trying to do their best for their family, are a tremendous help to her and she eventually becomes a trusted member of the family. She becomes part of the family's social life and is able to build personal relationships of her own, which have consequences that are both rewarding and heart-breaking. All these blend together to tell a compelling story that is honest and fulfilling. The entire cast is excellent. It is an interesting context and the plot keeps our attention to the dramatic finale.

trpdean I've seen so many French films in the last 15 years in which the female protagonist is as hard as nails, rebellious but impenetrable, scornful of intimate society or society at large - and we're meant to like her. I feared the same from the simple description I had of this film. (And after all, Scott-Thomas does not, after all, seem to seek out cuddly characters).But her character is played perfectly - and that woman is one you come to quite like - sympathetic and understandable and human. (The actress playing her sister is also perfectly chosen- as sweet and winning as you could possibly find).For all the darkness off-screen before the film begins, this is really a happy and heart-warming film - stay with it, it gets better and better. I particularly love the happiness the director makes us feel in social groupings - the celebration of someone's birthday, friends just dropping in, a dinner party.**** SPOILERS### My one misgving with the film is that I do NOT share the director's apparent sympathy with euthanasia - no illness ever justifies taking another's life. Were I the judge sentencing her, and knowing all the facts, I'd have sentenced her to at least 15 years, and thought myself being very just. So her failure to defend herself in prison does not seem to me to have influenced her just sentence - though is strongly sense the movie means one to think otherwise - to feel that slaying a terribly ill child is somehow OK.*** SPOILERS END **** I'd strongly recommend the film.

Sindre Kaspersen Philippe Claudel's literary character portrait premiered at the Berlinale in 2008 and tells the story of Juliette, a middle-aged woman who tries to find her place in society and reestablish contact with her family after having spent fifteen years in prison. Juliette arrives in Lorraine, France where she is reunited with her sister who is now married and has two daughters. Léa invites her to live with her family on temporary basis even though her husband feels uneasy by her sister's sudden arrival.French writer and director Philippe Claudel's concise psychological drama about a woman's mysterious past and challenging present, is an audacious and instantly engaging directorial debut, a substantial study of character and a distinct female portrait which examines themes such as trust, family relations, interpersonal relations, forgiveness, longing, loneliness, and grief in a clear and insightful way. The editing that occurs sporadic between the long takes creates rhythm and the instrumental theme song emphasizes the films essential atmosphere.The cinematography is a versatile variation of Kristin Scott Thomas portraits and with his acute filming, Philippe Claudel reveals the wide range of expressions in her face. In the role as the impenetrable Juliette, Kristin Scott Thomas delivers one of 2009s most memorable acting performances. The almost incomprehensible way she controls and balances the protagonist's emotional complexity, creates a level of intensity that no technical effects could have replaced and that becomes crucial to the films continuity. The dialog is sharp, French actress Elsa Zylberstein's supporting acting performance and the subtle realism in this universal independent film is notable.