Quartile rating: 8/10 · 1 rating
The loss of their young daughter threatens to destroy the love and faith of two married musicians.
A shattering Belgian film that weaves bluegrass music into a devastating meditation on grief, faith, and love. The nonlinear structure brilliantly mirrors the emotional fracturing of its protagonists, and the performances — particularly Johan Heldenbergh and Veerle Baetens — are raw and extraordinary. The use of American roots music by Flemish characters as a vehicle for exploring atheism versus religious consolation is genuinely original and resonant. The ending, while emotionally true, feels somewhat inevitable given the trajectory, and the cinematography, while competent and emotionally attuned, doesn't distinguish itself beyond its functional role. A one-of-a-kind film of real emotional power.