On paper, since I have started putting a number value to various aspects of these films, The Double Life of Veronique (1991) is, in my opinion, the greatest film, topping The Tales of Hoffmann by three measly points. This is the tops for me, statistically. This is one of the reasons why I question having an analytical film rating system since I would not say that The Double Life of Veronique is my favorite, anytime, film.
The film is about two women, one Veronique and the other Veronica they are separate people living separate lives and they never meet; both women are played by Irene Jacob who delivers one of the finest performances I have ever witnessed. The film is about two people and the effects they have had on the world around them.
I am not sure there is anything that I could say about Krzysztof Kieslowski that would add anything tangible to the conversation aside from his ability to craft a delightful, beautiful, film about life happening, love happening.
Visually I cannot think of a single frame that couldn’t be developed and hung in a gallery. There is a yellowish-sepia tint throughout the film that you would not have noticed until reading this sentence, it feels right. I feel right when watching this film.
Veronique(ca) is an incredibly strong female character and, for once, the men seem to be mostly props in their stories which is truly rare and is very fortunate for this experience. If you are happy watching a French/Polish language film (and you probably wouldn’t be here if you weren’t) you should absolutely watch The Double Life of Veronique.
Buy it here!