Une vie perdue: A quiet, slightly dusty look at regret

Is it worth your time?

Honestly, only if you’re in the mood for something that feels like an old, slightly damp book you found at a yard sale. If you need constant movement or a plot that ties itself up with a neat little bow, you’re going to hate this. It’s for the folks who like staring at rain on a windowpane and thinking about every mistake they made in their twenties.

The movie doesn't rush. It really doesn't. Sometimes it lingers on a shot of a doorway for so long you start checking your own front door to see if you locked it. It’s strange, but kind of hypnotic.

The Vibe

Ady Cresso is doing a lot with just the way she holds her cigarette. You don’t need dialogue when someone looks like they’ve been tired since 1930. There’s this one scene in a hallway that feels like it lasts for an eternity, and I’m pretty sure the camera operator just forgot to say cut.

It reminded me a bit of the suffocating feeling in Unseen Enemies, though they are totally different beasts. Everything here is gray and soft, like a photograph left out in the sun for too long. It’s not trying to be fancy or high-art.

• The lighting in the cafe scenes is weirdly yellow.
• Nobody ever seems to be having a good time, which is refreshing in a weird way.
• The background extras in the street scenes look like they’re just trying to get home for dinner.

I found myself zoning out during the middle act, but maybe that’s the point? It’s a life lost, after all, and life is mostly just waiting for something to happen that never does. It’s not as frantic as Quick Triggers, and thank god for that. Sometimes you just want to sit in the misery of someone else’s life.

Is it a masterpiece? No. Is it something that stays in your head because it’s so stubbornly slow? Yeah, pretty much. It’s definitely not for everyone, but if you like films that feel unpolished and honest, you might find something here. Or you might just fall asleep. Both are acceptable outcomes. ☕