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6/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Un peu d'amour remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you want a high-octane thriller or anything that moves faster than a brisk walk, stay away. This is for the folks who like to watch people sit in chairs and talk about things that aren't actually there. If you hate slow-burns, you will likely find this boring. But if you dig that old-school, slightly melancholic vibe, you might find something sweet here.
The whole thing feels like digging through an old trunk of letters in an attic. It’s not trying to reinvent cinema, and thank god for that. It just exists.
There’s a moment about halfway through where a character pauses for, like, three seconds too long before answering a question. It feels real. Not like a script, but like someone actually thinking about whether to lie or not. It made me want to lean in closer to the screen. ☕
The lighting is super contrasty in a way that feels very 1930s. Everything is either bright white or deep, dark shadows. It gives the whole apartment setting a kind of stage-play feeling, even when it’s supposed to be 'real life.'
Watching this reminded me a bit of the pacing in The Sap, though obviously a different kind of animal. There’s that same sense of people trying to find their footing in a world that doesn't care much about them.
Let’s be honest, the middle section drags. It’s like the film forgot where it was going for about twenty minutes. I found myself looking at the wallpaper patterns in the background instead of the dialogue. The patterns were actually pretty cool, if I’m being real.
But then it picks up again when the argument happens. You know the one. It’s not a shouting match, but it’s sharp. It’s the kind of scene where you can feel the air leave the room.
It’s not a masterpiece. It’s not going to change your life. But it’s a nice way to spend an hour if you’re feeling a bit lonely yourself. 🎞️