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The Illusionist
“...a film that generally brings warm smiles rather than belly laughs...”
Treasure Guards
"A willing suspension of disbelief should get most viewers across the line."
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Sarah's Key (DVD)
Year: 2010
Rating: M
Director: Gilles Paquet-Brenner
Cast: Dominique Frot, Mélusine Mayance, Aidan Quinn, Kristin Scott Thomas
Release Date: May 04, 2011
Distributor: Madman
The Film: 4.0
The Disc: 1.0
FILMINK rates DVDs and Blu-rays out of 5“Beautifully shot and brilliantly penned...”
Adapted from a best-selling novel, Sarah's Key is a riveting Holocaust drama, spanning continents and decades to narrate the story of two different women. The first is 10-year old Sarah Strazynski (Melusine Mayance), a quarter of a Jewish family arrested in 1942, France, as part of the infamous French displacement program. Before she is taken, though, Sarah locks her younger brother, Michel, in the closet to save him from their impending fate. Despite being separated from her parents and placed in horrific Nazi camps, Sarah's sole aim is to free her brother with the key she guards closely near her heart.
The second story is of American journalist, Julia (Kristin Scott Thomas), living in contemporary Paris in the same apartment that Sarah once called home, and researching the anniversary of the displacement program. Soon enough, Julia connects the dots with her new apartment and Sarah's story, and the film intersects between the two time periods as the mystery and outcome of Sarah's quest is slowly revealed.
Beautifully shot and brilliantly penned, Sarah's Key is a poignant film. The detailed, considered story takes time to build the mystery of Sarah, gradually unpeeling the layers and culminating in an emotional reveal. Despite the complexity though, the film never loses its pace, and remains a consistently gripping narrative. The story is also bolstered by rich cinematography that realistically captures the atmosphere of fear, distress and devastation prevalent in the Nazi-era. The minor flaws in the film - namely the gaping plot holes and confusing resolutions in Julia's story - are overshadowed by the thematic and visual achievements.
Though all the actors imbue life into their characters, the film belongs solely to Scott Thomas. She shines in a complex role, struggling to uncover the secrets of the past while trying to remain rooted in the present long enough to stop her own life falling apart. The actress' affecting performance tops off an intense and triumphant movie.
Unfortunately, the DVD only contains a behind the scenes feature and the theatrical trailer.
