REVIEW: ‘Memoir of War’
Photo: Mélanie Thierry stars in the new adaptation of Marguerite Duras’ wartime memoir. Memoir of War opens at the Film Forum in New York City. Photo courtesy of Music Box Films / Provided by press site with permission.
Memoir of War, the new drama from director Emmanuel Finkiel, is an emotional wallop of a film and a worthy adaptation of Marguerite Duras’ autobiographical novel. The film, which is currently running at New York City’s Film Forum, tells a story about a unique side of World War II: the French occupation during the height of the Nazi regime.
The movie is anchored by the towering performance of its lead, Mélanie Thierry, who plays Duras, a woman who needs to continue living her life even when the worry over her husband Robert’s imprisonment eats at her every single day. Her husband is a political prisoner and sent off to Dachau, one of the most notorious concentration camps. For obvious reasons, Duras believes news will come of his death, or worse yet, that he died and no notification will come her way.
She tries to keep herself busy with the Resistance and her writing, but her thoughts continually stray to Robert, a man she loves even though their relationship before the imprisonment was not the strongest. To find out information about Robert’s whereabouts, and also to ensure his safety, Duras needs to be kind to Rabier (Benoît Magimel), a local French Nazi collaborator who turns Duras’ stomach but seemingly has access to news from Germany.
Throughout the narrative, Finkiel keeps the story focused on Duras and her words. The director is fascinated by this talented writer and her quest to find her husband. The quest eventually becomes an obsession and also a cause of great anxiety and stress in Duras’ life. With each passing day, even after the war draws to an end, she realizes the inevitable is coming closer, ambling up to her like a shadowy figure walking on the street. She tries to escape it, but she also needs it — needs the confirmation.
Kudos to Thierry, who holds the audience in the palm of her hand. Finkiel prefers closeups, and that means Thierry’s face and mannerisms must hold all of this hurt and tension. She does so, allowing for a mixture of strength and fragility to overcome her senses.
Duras’ writing should be known to American readers, but in case her written oeuvre has failed to register, Memoir of War (based on Duras’ The War: A Memoir) is a fitting introduction to this talented woman and her work.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
Memoir of War (2018), written and directed by Emmanuel Finkiel, stars Mélanie Thierry, Benoît Magimel and Benjamin Biolay. Running time: 127 minutes. In French with English subtitles. Rating: 
