Quartile rating: 8/10 · 1 rating
In November 1918, a few days before the Armistice, when Lieutenant Pradelle orders a senseless attack, he causes a useless disaster; but his outrageous act also binds the lives of two soldiers who have nothing more in common than the battlefield: Édouard saves Albert, although at a high cost. They become companions in misfortune who will attempt to survive in a changing world. Pradelle, in his own way, does the same.
See You Up There (Au revoir là-haut) is an exceptionally crafted French film — Albert Dupontel's adaptation of Pierre Lemaitre's novel is visually sumptuous and tonally unique, blending post-WWI tragedy with darkly comic swindle. The plot is intricately constructed with strong dramatic irony and moral complexity. Acting across the board is superb, particularly Nahuel Pérez Biscayart's physically demanding and deeply emotive performance as Édouard. Cinematography is lush and painterly, with the elaborate masks providing extraordinary visual invention. Novelty is high — the film's fusion of war drama, picaresque crime, and flamboyant artistic imagery gives it a genuinely singular identity. The ending, while emotionally resonant and thematically coherent, is somewhat inevitable given the trajectory, landing just below the exceptional bar set by the rest of the film.