Juliette Binoche stars as a mature single woman and successful artist who is looking for love and companionship in Claire Denis’s decidedly unconventional romantic comedy-drama. Isabelle (Binoche) easily attracts lovers, but for all of her individuality and self-sufficiency, she is still lonely and unsatisfied in her personal life. She’s in a frustrating affair with an arrogant banker who refuses to leave his wife and seems to enjoy sabotaging her self-confidence, she tries dating a self-involved actor who can’t stop talking about his inner conflicts, and she even sleeps with her ex-husband. Let the Sunshine In is a meandering, free-wheeling journey through Isabelle’s frustrated relationships and unsatisfied longings that follows the rhythms of her day-to-day life, allowing viewers to see her in moments both guarded and unguarded. Binoche is luminous and utterly believable, an attractive woman who meets men who are uninterested in knowing the person under the physical beauty. And she displays her hopes, fears, yearnings, and disappointments in complicated emotions that play across her face. Gérard Depardieu has a small role as a fortune teller who looks into the future of Isabelle’s love life. For fans of French cinema who appreciate depth and nuance, this is recommended. (S. Axmaker)
Let the Sunshine In
Criterion, 95 min., in French w/English subtitles, not rated, DVD: $29.99, Blu-ray: $39.99 Volume 34, Issue 5
Let the Sunshine In
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