Beautiful grief

Rating: 9/10 (26 September 2011)

When viewed by its own right, and not as part of a trilogy, Blue is simply a beautiful movie. Above all the heavy layers of symbolism and social commentary - which, I admit, were a bit too heavy-handed for my taste - there's a simple and touching drama about grief, loss and recuperation. Beautifully shot, beautifully edited, and played out with subtle and minimalistic perfection by Juliette Binoche.
Most of all, stylistically, Blue excels in its juxtaposition of image and music, and it does so on almost every shot. Some of the elements that try for symbolism felt to me like they try too hard - the excessive use of blue colors, or the brief blackouts. But at its quietest, simplest moments, the music and image compliment each other to create a perfect mood, and cinema at its purest.