Kieslowski masterfully paints all of the colors, Blue, White and Red: see all three!

Rating: 9/10 (6 November 1999)

It is not only difficult to comment separately on the three parts of Kieslowski's trilogy, it seems obvious that the filmmaker wants us to do just the opposite: view them in order, Blue, White, and Red, and consider them together as one complete work. It is true they are distinct stories with distinct themes: liberty, equality, fraternity, and each them is developed with unique applications of intrigue and artistry. They are each well worth seeing independently, but I believe they are best seen as one work. Collectively, I would rate the trilogy as a 9; separately, I place each in my top ten for the years 1993 and 1994.
Blue is the mood of a grieving woman who lost her husband and daughter in a rural car crash; it is the shadows playing on her face in a cold hospital room as she watches television coverage of the funeral; it is light shining into an empty room of her house. Blue is the color of her dreams and memories, which she tries to erase after the tragedy, and of the liberty she seeks after the disappointing turn in her life. Liberty is the ultimate theme here, corresponding to the three worded French motto, `Liberty, Equality, Fraternity.' Of the three Color films, Blue is the most stunningly photographed and conceptualized. The plot is almost secondary and the dialogue is sparse, which gives all the more emphasis on the visual and on the thematic. With excellent acting by Juliette Binoche, this movie rates a 9.