What’s this then? It’s Rebecca Zlotowski’s second feature film, starring Lea Seydoux (Blue Is The Warmest Colour). Zlotowski is the French director behind Belle Epine, also starring Seydoux – yeah, we’ve got friendship jealousy, too.
All good so far – what else? Well, it’s a French film with subtitles…
Ahh, a classy film! What’s it about? It’s essentially a love story involving an affair between Seydoux’s character, Karole, and the male lead, Gary (Tahar Rahim). Gary’s a young guy whose spent his life floating between jobs and his lack of experience and qualifications has lead him to reluctantly accept a job at a nuclear power plant. He ends up living alongside some of the other employees on a rundown caravan site, which is where he meets Karole and her fiancé Toni.
So a French love triangle? Sounds ideal! On paper it definitely is, and Seydoux is the ultimate babe – she’s good at playing the lusted after adulterer, but you do feel sorry for her. Karole wears pretty much the same outfit for the whole film, which was a nice touch to represent the sort of money these characters were earning in a job they all resent. However, the plot lost us a little at times. For a story involving a love triangle in which those involved are living in such close quarters and working at a place where they’re risking their lives everyday, we didn’t really feel that invested in them. Gary doesn’t have a great relationship with his sister, so you understand the significance of him finding a group of people he can call his family, but other than that we felt we didn’t really get to know much about the other characters.
What about the love scenes? There are some beautifully shot scenes in the film – like the lingering shots of Gary’s hand almost touching Karole’s bare leg when they’re sitting next to each other in a cramped car. Also, the music in this film is stunning.
What’s everyone else’s verdict? ‘The story certainly has an unusual setting, which Zlotowski depicts with an almost Loach-ian attention to unfussy, everyday detail. But the torrid love affair that develops against this largely realistic backdrop between two good-looking colleagues is too bombastic and clichéd for the film to ever become a single whole.’ Boyd van Hoeij, The Hollywood Reporter.
What we’re saying: Those of you who enjoy a French film should give this one a go. While* Grand Central* is aesthetically intriguing in parts and the idea of a community living together amongst lies while simultaneously having to work together in a life-threatening environment where they have to have each others backs is great on paper, you’ll come away having seen a cool French film from a celebrated director (the film won the Un Certain Regard award at Cannes last year). One to watch if you want to get lost in the music and French dialect, but not the most interesting film we’ve seen this year.
Grand Central is out Friday 18 July
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This article originally appeared on The Debrief.