THE YOUNG LOVERS review by Marinell Haegelin
Life can sometimes catch people by surprise . Take the case of French director Carine Tardieu ’ s newest film , The Young
Lovers , when two unsuspecting people ’ s lives are knocked out of sync , to audiences ’ delight . The screenplay evolved from Icelandic-French director-writer Sólveig Anspach , inspired by her mother ’ s personal experience , working with screenwriter Agnès de Sacy before Anspach ’ s death . Taking on the responsibility , Tardieu added her spin to the storyline with de Sacy creating an awesomely astute and warmhearted film made better by the fine-tuned , credible performances of Fanny Ardant and Melvil Poupaud .
© ALAMODE FILM
THE YOUNG LOVERS
IM HERZEN JUNG | LES JEUNES AMANTS
FRANCE | BELGIUM 2021 OPENING AUGUST 3 , 2023
DIRECTED BY : CARINE TARDIEU
WRITING CREDITS : SÓLVEIG ANSPACH , AGNÈS DE SACY , CARINE TARDIEU , RAPHAËLE MOUSSAFIR
PRINCIPAL ACTORS : FANNY ARDANT , MELVIL POUPAUD , CÉCILE DE FRANCE , SHARIF ANDOURA
When Pierre ( Poupaud ) and Shauna ( Ardant ) first meet at the hospital where he works , circumstances are stressful ; she slips away , forgetting her photograph . They both lead full lives : he is a happily married oncologist ; she is a happily retired architect . Fifteen years later , he almost misses his chance to return the photo when he , colleague and friend Georges ( Sharif Andoura ), and team are in Dublin , Ireland , meeting with a medical laboratory . This time , the circumstances are different ; they are relaxed , have more time . Pierre and Jeanne ’ s ( Cécile de France ) seven-yearold , Marcel ( Martin Laurent ), is a handful , while , at eighteen , Rosalie ( Sarah Henochsberg ) is too busy for them ; initially Jeanne takes his news in stride . Cécilia ( Florence Loiret Caille ), herself experiencing a daughter ’ s ( Olenka Ilunga ) leaving home , is intrigued , imagining which of Shauna ’ s older friends it could be . Nonetheless , their twenty-fiveyear age difference confounds everyone . Just as Shauna ’ s illness confounds their newfound nurturing relationship .
The inherent respect and empathy mark this film with grace and dignity seen too seldom on-screen , imbued by the cast ’ s stellar performances ; all the characters are likable , decorous , realistically unsettled . Elin Kirschfink ’ s cinematography and Christel Dewynter ’ s editing follow the nuanced timing in the depth of Poupaud and Ardant ’ s rich portrayals , thus capturing the pathos entwined within , enhanced by the swells of Eric Slabiak ’ s soundtrack . Only at the end does The Young Lovers stumble , then end most abruptly . 114 minutes .
46 HAMBURG HAPPENINGS