Amour Movie Review

Amour (2012)

Rent Amour on Amazon Video
Written by: Michael Haneke
Directed by: Michael Haneke
Starring: Jean-Louis Trintignant, Emmanuelle Riva, Isabelle Huppert
Rated: PG-13

My rating is simple, Watch It, It Depends, Skip it. Read my previous movie reviews!

Plot
In this French language film, retired couple Georges and Anne's relationship is tested when Anne suffers a stroke.

Verdict
This is realistic depiction of love, responsibility, and end of life care. It's not a fun movie by any stretch. I'm glad I watched, but I have no desire to see it again.
It's a bit like The Notebook (2004), but much more soul crushing and depressing without any of the lighthearted romance parts.
It depends.

Review
This is very much a slice of real life. Georges and Ann are a retired couple, having been music teachers. We get a brief glimpse of their life when they go out to enjoy the music of a former student.

Their world quickly changes when Ann has a stroke. The performances feel very real, with situations and dialog being very natural. Ann unknowingly has a stroke. She doesn't want to go to the doctor, but Georges convinces her to go.
Surgery has an unintended consequence, and Ann becomes partially paralyzed. Georges promises to never put her in a home. Taking care of her isn't easy, and this movie doesn't put a glossy finish on the situation. It goes to length to portray it accurately.

This movie is as much as what you bring to it as what happens on the screen. This movie doesn't even mention whether Georges feels guilty. You imagine he does, but at the same time he made the right call.
The scope of this film is small. This is an atypical love story that explores the full meaning for "for better or for worse." This is a slow movie, but the pacing is a direct result of the story being told. We see Ann slowly getting worse, and we begin to imagine the struggles of Georges and Ann. He sees someone he loves slowly regressing, losing all faculty. She becomes someone unrecognizable, and you wonder if she realizes what's happening to her. It's a long slow decline that ties directly to the pace. We are there with the characters for each agonizing moment as Ann's condition strains everyone.

The ending is powerful and really makes this film. It's a divisive ending tackling some of the same concepts as Million Dollar Baby (2004). Does Georges want to set his wife or himself free? This is a well done movie that will only appeal to a narrow audience.