Declaration of War
2012 ‘La guerre est déclarée’ Directed by Valérie Donzelli
Synopsis
A young couple wrestle with their child's cancer diagnosis.
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a portrait of two young parents going through the disease of their two-year-old son that never indulges in melodrama and instead plays like a vital and stylized celebration of perseverance. the musical interludes throughout the film are specially remarkable.
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While a sad subject matter, the direction and acting are superb and the movie does a good job of not getting sappy or playing the audience's emotional buttons.
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Originally reviewed on February 2, 2012.
Declaration of War opens very similarly to dozens of new-age romances – the two young, attractive leads lock eyes at a club, music blaring and drugs present. When they introduce themselves to one another, we learn that their names are Romeo (Jérémie Elkaïm) and Juliette (Valérie Donzelli), in what seems like an on-the-nose indicator that tragedy will befall them in the third act. In actuality, co-writer/director/star Donzelli is just toying with the audience’s expectations, because tragedy arrives much sooner, after relatively little bliss in the relationship. Romeo and Juliette’s fling results in a child, Adam. As unprepared for parenthood as the duo may be, they realize that Adam doesn’t seem to be developing normally…
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E’ un film che ti commuove per la sua incredibile dolcezza e spontaneità. E’ una storia d’amore tragica, ma senza l’ingrediente della lontananza. Romeo e Juliette sono disperati, ma sono insieme. Portano la sigaretta alla bocca, la buttano via e scendono dal muretto con gli stessi identici movimenti. Hanno paura e allora sotto le coperte giocano a fare l’elenco di cosa temono di più (che dopo l’operazione il figlio diventi oltre che sordo, cieco, muto, anche omosessuale, negro e che voti Fronte Popolare). Si sfogano bevendo e ballando alle feste. Si commuovono davanti a una canzone suonata con la chitarra quando la festa è ormai finita.
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Una película triste que de ser en un país tercermundista sería mucho mucho mucho peor.
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El mérito de la película es que la pareja de actores protagonistas no sólo se encarga de la dirección y el guión, sino que la historia esta basada en el caso real que ellos mismos vivieron. Si te pasa algo tan horrible con un hijo tiene que ser duro vivirlo otra vez para la película.
El problema que tiene es el mismo que veo en "Lo imposible": si la historia real da tan poco de sí inventate algo más o no hagas la peli. -
Pequeña y voluntariosa película de considerable ambición (aproximarse de forma insólita, fresca, melancólicamente alegre al drama de la enfermedad de un hijo), cuyo estimable dinamismo no consigue ocultar cierta tendencia (muy francesa) a la cursilería pedante.
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Debe ser increiblemente duro tener un hijo con cáncer, mas para una pareja joven cuyos prospectos se ven interrumpidos por la enfermedad y su vida se vuelve devota a su hijo, con el hospital como su nuevo hogar. "Declaration of War" trata este dificil tema sin el melodrama que uno esperaría. De hecho es ligera, gozando de mucho humor (aunque a veces esta abusa de montajes musicales). Historias como estas son trilladas pero "Declaration of War" se siente genuina y personal sin recurrir a manipulaciones baratas. Es una cinta francesa efectiva, con buenas actuaciones.
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A film about a couple's sick child that is not tragic, but instead a celebration of the struggles that they must face.
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It's a good movie that misses something.
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While a sad subject matter, the direction and acting are superb and the movie does a good job of not getting sappy or playing the audience's emotional buttons.
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Impressive debut feature shows a deft touch in handling some truly heavy material.