Rust and Bone DVD review

Luke Brookman goes on a journey of discovery as he explores Jacques Audiard’s powerful drama…

Rust and Bone DVD review

The Low Down:

Ali (Matthias Schoenaerts), a troubled man in his twenties, moves to the south of France with his young son. There he encounters a whale-trainer (Marion Cotillard) who has suffered a terrible accident. Together the two embark on a journey towards redemption.

Review: Based on a collection of short stories by Craig Davidson, Rust and Bone is Jacques Audiard’s third feature after the thrilling duo A Prophet and The Beat That My Heart Skipped. Rust and Bone is his most gentle feature yet, and the most emotionally impacting. Like in A Prophet, the lead characters here are damaged and desperate; they are in need of rescue. Rust and Bone presents two people in search of something, whether it is their humanity or their will to live. Human nature is portrayed in its truest and most diverse form.

Audiard’s visuals reflect the film‘s themes to great effect. The grainy and raw images reflect a desperate world of struggle, where survival is everything. The world presented here is real and brutal and yet somehow inspiring and euphoric.

The real triumph here is in the performances by Cotillard and Schoenaerts (who impressed in 2011‘s Bullhead). Cotillard’s portrayal of a woman learning to live again is electrifying and heartbreaking. She uses the simplest facial twitches to convey such overwhelming emotion. Schoenaerts, too, succeeds in presenting a compelling character, who is constantly at war with himself. His performance is a revelation; label him under “one to watch”. The performance’s here are a credit to Audiard’s direction, he crafts a believable world that is both poetic and inspiring. He captures the moments that define us; the emotions which drive us and the incredible influence one human can have on another.

The Best: A nail-biting final act full of suspense and a powerful performance by Schoenarts. A great ending that embodies the emotion of the whole film.

The Worst: The unfortunate characters and brutal portrayals make this one a tough watch. Some will struggle with the bleak moments, but these moments are integral to the pure euphoria the triumphant ones produce.

Celluloid Influences – The Wrestler + A Prophet = Rust and Bone