TWO DAYS ONE NIGHT

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4 stars
Sandra (Marion Cotillard – Rust And Bone) is an ordinary working class mother in a small Belgian town. An unremarkable woman to whom the unremarkable happens – after a bout of depression, she looses her job.
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Under questionable circumstances, Sandra's colleagues had voted in favour of a bonus, and by extension her sacking. That was Friday night, but her employer gives in to pleas that staff hold another vote on Monday, giving Sandra two days and one night to convince a dozen people to change their mind.

Belgian filmmakers Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne (The Kid On A Bike) are highly regarded for their exceptional command of social realism that sits in a space with auteurs like Ken Loach and, on occasion, Mike Leigh. The difference is the way they choose the simplest of situations, ones that resonate with each and every viewer, situations that force you to have an opinion then revise it within a matter of minutes. Should the company make room for Sandra? Would you vote for her, or for your bonus? Can you empathise or even sympathise with those who choose otherwise? It is surprisingly engaging, powerful and provocative stuff.

It is made even more powerful and provocative by the simplicity and honesty of their arguments. For here is an ordinary part of Belgium where choosing how to keep a household together is the most important decision made daily. As it is for you or I. There are no demons or monsters, simply neighbours with a differing point of view. Hopefully, neighbours with a conscience. Layer on Cotillard's brilliant performance – watching Sandra pull herself from the brink of collapse hour after hour is truly mesmerising – and you've got one of the more challenging films of the year.

Most of all, it is the richness of storytelling that sets Two Days, One Night apart. These are agreeably familiar yet complex characters (aren't we all?) whom the Dardennes have invested with a compassionate humanity; even in their darker moments. There is also an element of thriller about the vote-count, a will-she-won't-she edge that gives otherwise familiar social-realism added energy.

Two Days, One Night is a powerful entry in the Dardenne canon. If you're familiar with their work, you'll not want to miss this. If you're not, make an opportunity to see a film you simply shouldn't miss.

// COLIN FRASER

Previewed at The Reel Room, Sydney on October 30, 2014
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STARRING
Marion Cotillard
Fabrizio Rognone
Pili Groyne
Catherine Salée

DIRECTOR
Luc Dardenne
Jean-Pierre Dardenne

SCREENWRITER
Luc Dardenne
Jean-Pierre Dardenne

COUNTRY
France (subtitles)

CLASSIFICATION
M

RUNTIME
110 minutes

AUSTRALIAN
RELEASE DATE
November 6, 2014
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Two Days, One Night (2014) on IMDb
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