ONE FINE MORNING - Review | Cannes Film Festival 2022

Mia Hansen-Løve's latest film features another emotionally gripping performance from Léa Seydoux with such a lavishing and enriching presentation of its setting. However, its constant romantic drama cliches and sappiness end up detracting for what could have been a very compelling character piece. It's clear that the film is more focused on being a sweet and grounded look at learning and accepting adaptation. But that doesn't change the fact that by the time the film ends, it lacks being resonating for mostly feeling indistinguishable from other movies with similar storylines and plot points.

Still Courtesy - Les Films du Losange

Living in Paris, Sandra Kienzler (portrayed by Léa Seydoux) is a single mother of an eight-year-old girl who works as a translator. Through the course of the film, she ends up having to deal with multiple issues that are introduced to her almost at the same time. Sandra reunites with a friend who she starts forming a relationship with until he reveals his secrets. At the same time, she has to deal with sending her father (portrayed by Pascal Greggory) to a proper nursing home after being diagnosed with a neurodegenerative disease.

This is definitely more of a character-driven narrative that just focuses on a fragment of Sandra's life and the people surrounding her. As a result, it makes it easier to get lost in its beautiful world since it isn't following a familiar structure that reminds audience members that they're indeed watching a film. On top of that, Hansen-Løve's manner of helming this film by lingering on as much of the scenery with the characters as possible. It really allows Paris to breathe on screen. Shooting on film and its euphoric musical score with a heavy reliance on strings really add to Hansen-Løve's intent that makes it feel like watching something from decades ago.

If there's something that this director excels at, it's making the audience feel like being a part of her film's location. The same could be said about her previous work Bergman Island (2021) that made Fårö feel like such a grand and lived-in island. However, that film's narrative and sequence of events were far more unique by successfully combining stories within stories while tying its themes with Ingmar Bergman himself. That's the aspect that hurts One Fine Morning the most since its story turns out to be very basic and predictable. The film attempts to make the audience believe that it'll progress in a certain way. But it's easy to call how its outcome will turn out in a way that distracts the viewers rather than still absorbing them.

Despite the film lacking any distinctive aspects about its plot, it still ends up being a passively enjoyable watch mainly due to Léa Seydoux. Her character is the heart and soul of the film who's featured in almost every scene. Therefore, her performance and presence really carry the film from being mediocre for how much empathy and life she brings. Despite the context of a scene, she's always able to flawlessly combine a wide range of emotions through her performance. One instance includes when she mentions to someone about her fathers condition and how subtly and naturally she transitions from feeling joy to somberness. Her work ends up overshadowing her co-stars who all still do a great job.

If the pleasant and inviting execution of the film served a more demanding story. Then this film could have been something special which could have surpassed the quality of Bergman Island. As is stands now, Hansen-Løve has beautifully directed a film with a terrific central performance that provides the same feeling as watching the first five minutes of Midnight in Paris (2011). But its intent of showcasing how a single mother in France has to adjust her love, work, and family life for better results. It certainly makes it competent and gratifying but that's where it stops.

Verdict

6/10

Still Courtesy - Les Films du Losange