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Cast: Émilie Dequenne, Michel Blanc, Catherine Deneuve, Mathieu Demy, Ronit Elkabetz, Nicolas Duvau
A drama centered on a young woman who claims she was the target of an anti-Semetic attack and the subsequent media sensation it creates.
Inspired by a true story of a young girl who captures the attention of her country when she claims she's been the target of a hate crime. The film certainly is a timely one and it looks like something that could of been the headlines in any newspaper in the world today. The film, based on actual events in Paris in 2006, is divided into two parts. The first part pretty much sets up what happened, it tells the story of a 19-year-old girl and the affair she has with a young French wrestling star. They end up moving in together and he gets involved in a drug business she knows nothing about at the time. After her lover is stabbed and arrested she returns home to live with her mother but depressed over her failed relationship and not being able to find any work she decides to cut herself, draws swastikas on her stomach and tells the police she was attacked by a gang of boys on a train outside of Paris because they mistakenly thought she was Jewish because of a business card of a Jewish lawyer she said she had in her purse. The second part of the story is where the media picks it, this seems to be something she does not want which begs the question, why did she do it in the first place then? The film received mixed reviews and a lot of the complaints came from those that felt the movie didn't give enough answers in the end. I felt and still do that leaving the ending open was perfect, it makes the audience think and results in some good conversion among those that have seen the film. There are certainly a lot of loose ends that just never get resolved but that is what made the film the most interesting to me. Director, André Téchiné could of easily attempted to answer all the questions at the end but that to me would of been too "Hollywood" so I give the director top marks for making a film that is captivating and thought-provoking. The production was terrific and the cast was exceptional including the always magnificent Catherine Deneuve as the girl's mother and Émilie Dequenne as Jeanne. The Girl on The Train may not be a film for everyone but if you like films that challenge the viewer then I highly recommend picking it up. I was taken in by it's story right from the start and was left with so much to think about and to me a film that does that is one worth watching.
Released by Strand Releasing
**** Out Of *****