TIFF 2013 - A Promise and The Face of Love

Thursday and Friday were light days for me with only one film apiece which allowed for some catch up on both sleep and laundry.

A Promise is the first english language film from French director Patrice Leconte and tells the story of a love triangle in pre WWI Germany.  Alan Rickman plays Hoffmeister, a wealthy industrialist who brings Ludwig (Richard Madden), a new up and coming employee into his home.  The young man quickly forms a bond with his  son and more importantly with his much younger wife (Rebecca Hall).  From there the story is a pretty basic love triangle with complications including Hoffmeister's health, Ludwig's ambitions and the war itself.  The three actors all turn in good performances and and there are some lovely sequences but the movie as a whole was a bit anticlimactic for me.

Leconte introduced the film and came back onstage with an interpreter to take questions from the audience.  He was charmingly french and discussed the filming locations and working with his English speaking cast.

Movie grade: B

Friday afternoon was the second screening of The Face of Love from director Arie Posin.  It stars as Annette Bening as Nikki, a solitary woman who five years after the traumatic death of her husband runs into his virtual double and goes to great lengths to form a relationship with him.  Ed Harris plays both roles and manages to make both men distinct characters.  Nikki becomes fixated on trying to recreate her relationship while also trying to keep the new man in her life secret from her daughter and well meaning neighbour (Robin Williams) who clearly wants more than friendship from her.  It's not really a matter of if she'll be found out but when, and how her life will explode when that finally happens.  Benning turns in another great performance and it's a solid movie, with a lovely message about the way we can move on from tragedy.

Posin introduced the movie and returned afterwards with Benning (which was a lovely surprise) to take questions from the audience.  He talked about the genesis of the idea for the film which was a discussion with his mother.  Both he and Benning talked about the character's motivations and the process of coming together to make the film.

Movie Grade: B