Member review

Force Majeure is not an easy watch but its still a very good one. Set in a picturesque ski resort in the French Alps, the film follows the slow disintegration of a family based upon a single selfish act that shakes the inner dynamics to the core. There are moments of sharp humour and terrible sadness in this emotionally cold yet compelling character study. The cinematography, acting and direction are all impeccable with the single most important scene in the film - the family watching an avalanche from a restaurant - shot in one devastatingly beautiful long take. The subsequent reaction to this proves to be the core of the film with slow-burning conflicts eventually coming to fever pitch over the five day timeline of the story. The viewer also feels a certain distance from the drama; feeling powerless to prevent the dreaded and painful events to unfold as they do (with some terribly awkward but darkly funny scenes between the couple and their friends as inner feelings pour out). So overall, Force Majeure is a beautifully made, slow-burning study of a family in crisis after a single, sudden, unfortunate choice. Concentration is key in this extraordinarily intelligent film about relationships, family, human nature and the consequences of our actions. By Jack Cooper