Yeah, we know. It feels like we have been talking about Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne‘s "Two Days, One Night" all year, and in way, we have. It was one of our most anticipated films at Cannes, and that excitement was warranted, with our A-grade review describing it as an "unfeasibly gripping social realist parable that provides a gravitational showcase for one of Marion Cotillard‘s finest performances." After doing festival rounds, and being submitted by Belgium as their Oscar contender for Best Foreign Film, the movie is finally coming to theaters, and it’s guaranteed bruise your heart. Here’s the official synopsis:
For the first time, Belgian directors Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne team up with a major international star, Marion Cotillard, to create a universal story about working-class people living on the edges of society. Sandra (Cotillard) has just returned to work after recovering from a serious bout with depression. Realizing that the company can operate with one fewer employee, management tells Sandra she is to be let go. After learning that her co-workers will vote to decide her fate on Monday morning, Sandra races against time over the course of the weekend, often with the help of her husband, to convince each of her fellow employees to sacrifice their much-needed bonuses so she can keep her job. With each encounter, Sandra is brought into a different world with unexpected results in this powerful statement on community solidarity.
And yes, Cotillard is every bit as good as you’ve heard, and if watching this doesn’t elicit a tear, then your soul is black and your heart made of stone. It’s powerful and humane and one to put on your must-see list before the year is out.
"Two Days, One Night" opens in select theaters on December 24th. Check out the new U.S. trailer below.