CIFF 2014: Two Days, One Night Review

Sandra, a working class Belgian woman (Marion Cotillard), has a single weekend to fight for her job and financial security after her boss convinces her co-workers to take a €1,000 bonus over keeping her on.

Tight, handheld camera work and a commitment to realism through long takes and imperfect but truthful compositions allow Cotillard, one of France’s most consistently stunning actresses, to thrive at a level of nuance we’ve missed from her other roles limited by quicker editing and pacing.

Would you save Sandra’s job, or take the money? “Two Days, One Night” presents a moral quandary to sixteen people and explores how they respond, representing the human spectrum of humanity. More important than whether these people are selfish or giving is how Sandra reacts. Cotillard is just fantastic hitting subtle notes of shame and frustration while her husband (Fabrizio Rongione) keeps her moving forward.

This enormously satisfying neorealist domestic drama exposes working class hardship without sentimentality and is The Dardenne Brothers’ most compelling film since 2005’s Palme d’Or winner “L’enfant.”

9 out of 10 points