Le Fidèle

I really enjoyed this romantic drama with a criminal subplot. The casting of the main roles alone gave hope for at least an interesting cinematic experience. Which was soon confirmed. Matthias Schoenaerts and Adèle Exarchopoulos were absolutely amazing and they really sparkled. Their relationship was very believable and added credibility to the story. What got me the most, however, was that for at least the second half of the film, I had absolutely no idea where the plot was going to go next. Moreover, the ending totally killed me emotionally. What was only hinted at visually was complemented by the melancholic lyrics of a song about fateful love during the closing credits. (85%) (10.08.2020)

Another film that showcases excellent performances from Matthias Schoenaerts and Adèle Exarchopoulos but could easily have been half an hour shorter without losing anything. The shots of cars and racing are great, and there's a bit of action, which is cool too. But at its core, it's about two people from completely different worlds who care about each other, even though neither of their worlds supports the relationship. The premise had a lot of potential, but the film alternates between strong and weaker scenes. Overall, while it’s a decent watch, I can’t give it more than three stars. (16.06.2021)