Sad masterpiece.

Rating: 8/10 (14 December 2013)

I first saw the film in my high school French class and remembered it to be a touching drama based on friendship, hope and despair. During World War II, Julien and his brother Francois stay at a Catholic boarding school, where they, along with the priests, hide their Jewish friend Jean from the Nazis.
The cinematography of the film is brilliant as it captures the aura and atmosphere of 1940s France, and the horror, fear and despair of war. Unlike many war films, which depict battles and violence, this film captures the backgrounds of these youngsters' lives and describes what it is like to live in an era of war. The trauma war inflicts on their lives are also powerfully depicted.
A solid plot, though slow at times, with superb acting and steady-paced drama, this movie is truly a work of art and fans of the drama genre of movies should give it a watch.
Grade B