100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 62: Deux Jours, Une Nuit

Director: Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Luc Dardenne

Genre: Drama

Runtime: 95 minutes

Year: 2014

Starring: Marion Cotillard, Fabrizio Rongione, Pili Groyne, Simon Caundry, Catherine Salée, Batiste Sornin, Alain Eloy, Myriem Akeddiou, Fabienne Sciascia, Timur Magomedgadzhiev, Hicham Slaoui, Philippe Jeusette, Yohan Zimmer, Christelle Cornil, Laurent Caron, Franck Laisné, Serge Koto, Morgan Marinne, Gianni La Rocca, Ben Hamidou, Olivier Gourmet, Carl Jadot

Description: Sandra (Marion Cotillard), a young Belgian mother, discovers that her workmates have opted for a significant pay bonus, in exchange for her dismissal. She has only one weekend to convince her colleagues to give up their bonuses so that she can keep her job.

Review: A movie doesn’t need a grand and complicated plot to impress. It’s confirmed very convincingly in this socially realistic drama by Belgian brothers Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne, “Deux Jours, Une Nuit” . With perfect dialogues and great acting, you’re dragged into the story that could happen to anyone. And exactly that feeling, that it could also happen to you, makes “Deux Jours, Une Nuit” so special.

The employees of Solwal get the following choice: Co-worker Sandra can stay or you get a 1000 euro bonus. The following Monday everyone has to make their decision. Sandra, who is recovering from a depression, has exactly one weekend to convince her co-workers to make the right choice; to let her stay.

The choice between money and helping someone is a well-known dilemma. In “Deux Jours, Une Nuit” the confrontation of this difficult problem is presented to us in an unique way. The intimate scenes are filled with emotion. The movie has a certain tension, when it’s not even a thriller.

Marion Cotillard really impresses. I was already a huge fan of her work and I like the fact she sometimes chooses these smaller films. Cotillard makes Sandra a woman we can all identify with and relate too.

Two days and one night Sandra has to try and convince her co-workers to choose for her staying at the firm. Very subtle emotions, the way everyone responds to Sandra’s request and the reason why they make the decisions they make, it’s all very well done. “Deux Jours, Une Nuit” is an excellent movie, which is beautiful because of its simplicity.

Rating: 4,5/ 5