I like this. The storyline is so old fashioned and melodramatic, but its sincerity is undeniably noble. Darius Khondji's cinematography is faithful to the other period piece look - copper colored and silhouette-y. I don't know what they did to the film shot footage, but it's way too sharp, it looks like digital. I'd prefer it if it was a little grainier and grittier.
It's clear that Gray doesn't really care about the setting, the plot, boobies and other characters much. They are all indistinguishable but it's all about Bruno, Ewa and to some extent Emil (Jeremy Renner). Not them even. But it all culminates to the end confession of Bruno (Joaquin Phoenix), a gentle pimp in 1920s New York to down and out fresh off the boat Polish immigrant Ewa (Marion Cotillard). He is in love with the woman he corrupted, and he can't barely look at her in the eye: his head tilted to the side, squinting in the grey light. Gray quietly lenses Phoenix's face from the side in medium shot, never a close up. For that scene, this sappy 2 hour period piece is totally worth watching. It doesn't even matter if the actors are too old for their respective roles. It's an 'adult movie'. Two Lovers is next.
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