I went to see More than ever with no idea of what I was going to see. This procedure is not strange to me, as I have a safety net that is my favourite cinema. A small but elegant corner of the city that screens alternative, independent and international films. I can’t remember a time when I’ve gone to see a film there and left disappointed. Whether I found the films better or worse, what interests me most is how they make me feel and whether they make me think. If on the way home the film will continue to stay with me in my head. And their selection always fulfils this objective.
Precisely for this reason I ventured into the world created by Emily Atef without any qualms. And as always, looking for copper, I found gold. More than ever made me connect with her protagonists, empathise with them: suffer and smile when they did. What more could you ask for?
You should watch it now «more than ever»
Directed by the German-French-Iranian Emily Atef, the film revolves around Hélène (Vicky Krieps), a Luxembourger living in Bordeaux with her husband Matthieu (Gaspard Ulliel). Hélène has an unusual lung disease, which means she is probably going to die. In the first third of the film we see our protagonist dealing with this situation, and her way of doing so is to withdraw from the world. Her husband is desperate to spend more time with her, yet she feels she needs space. It is this that drives her to Norway, where the character played by Bjørn Floberg, an elderly man whose cancer seems to have gone into remission, takes her into his home in the Fjords.
More than ever focuses on the transformative process of our protagonist. How her trip to Norway helps her to accept her mortality, to be content with it. We see how, despite feeling sicker, she also manages to be more at peace. All this with the breathtaking scenery of the fjords in the background.
The film doesn’t dwell on itself in a melodramatic way. Its success lies in its simplicity. In fact, the greatest dramatic charge comes not from her illness itself, but from how her husband deals with it. As Hélène comes to terms with her new mentality, Matthieu convinces himself that Hélène is giving up. «It’s you who’s dying,» says Mister, the character played by Floberg, when Hélène asks him if he thinks she’s doing the right thing. This leads to scenes in which the frustration of Matthieu’s character comes through in a superb performance by Ulliel. The moment when he punches Mister, for example. My first reaction was to cover my mouth with my hand. I found it very unexpected and tremendously well executed.
Its success lies in its simplicity
Gaspard Ulliel and his posthumous work
If I haven’t convinced you to see it yet, it’s worth remembering that this is the last film Ulliel shot before he died in a tragic accident. What better way to say goodbye to one of the most charismatic French actors of recent times.
Conclusion
More than ever works very well. For its subtle but effective script. For Norway and its fjords (if that’s not enough of a reason, I invite you to watch the film. It will make you want to leave everything and go to the Nordic country). For a Vicky Krieps who manages to generate nuances and mixed feelings with her character, for a Bjørn Floberg who delivers with flying colours and a heartbreaking Gaspar Ulliel.
Final note: Idea for a new section?
I like this idea of watching a film without having any idea what it’s about or who is making it, so I’m going to turn it into a section. At least once a week I’ll go to the cinema blind and then I’ll tell you about my experience. And I’ll call it that: Blind cinema.