Just a sigh
France, 105 min
Romance
2:35, Dolby
In the short break between performances in Calais, stage actress Alix, played by the stunning Emmanuelle Devos (Desplechin’s Christmas Tale), makes a quick escape to Paris. On the train, she meets a mysterious English stranger. Drawn toward him, she follows him, loves him, for a few hours, before facing what could be a new life. With masterful performances by Devos and her acclaimed co-star Gabriel Byrne, Just a Sigh is an imaginative and lushly filmed Parisian romance. Young and versatile director Jérôme Bonnell (Le Chignon d’Olga) tells a real-time story with a particular sense for detail. Reminiscent of François Truffaut’s The Woman Next Door, the film captures vivid insights of a burning love evolving between two characters, wonderfully brought together by Bonnell’s down-to-earth approach. Just a Sigh captures an irrational, sentimental encounter balanced between the extremes of elopement and routine, with breathtaking psychological intrigue.
DIRECTED BY
Jérôme Bonnel
CAST
Gabriel Byrne, Emmanuelle Devos
CREW
Directors Jérôme Bonnel Story & Screenplay Jérôme Bonnel Producer Edouard Weil Editing Julie Dupre
REACTIONS
“A contemporary Gallic “Brief Encounter.” Beautifully acted! Intimate and persuasive!” (…) ” The chemistry between Ms. Devos and Mr. Byrne is heated in a sadder-but-wiser, grown-up way.” – The New York Times (Critic’s Pick)
“Emmanuelle Devos – pricky, vulnerable, maddening and touching – reigns supreme.” The Village Voice
