Portrait of a Lady on Fire

I recently watched the film Portrait of a Lady on Fire and wanted to share a brief review. My thoughts are below:

Very powerful forbidden love film. The pace is slow, and the dialogue is economical. Making each word said all the more important and impactful. 

The performances by both lead women are phenomenal. The scene where they both cry and kiss on the beach as they realize their time together is coming to an end is heartbreaking. It speaks to the many ways in which cultures can suppress sexuality and love. These women should have been able to explore their love for one another further than they did, but it was not allowed in that culture / society. The economic well-being of Héloïse's family depended upon her marrying into another noble family. Life's realities blow sometimes, and this movie is a sad-yet-beautiful snapshot into one of those tragic situations people can find themselves in over the course of their lives. 

The complex interwoven relationships between culture, power, and social hierarchy are all felt in the scenes where these women are forced to do things they don't want to do. It's also felt in the maid's subplot where she has become pregnant and has to get an abortion secretly. The message seems to be about how people should be able to love each other no matter what sex or gender they are. And that we as people should not turn away from the difficult things that happen in our lives. Which is a message that is driven home in the abortion scene where they girls force themselves to watch, and then paint the scene in a recreation later. 

But I also think it's just a great story, beyond the lesbian themes. The subtle moments that come back in the final two instances where Marianne sees Héloïse really bring the movie and story home so well. And the last scene where Héloïse is visibly moved at the orchestra is such a powerful way to close. Great stories tie themselves together in the end, and that's what this film did. It makes anyone watching think back to that person that they had a brief-yet-passionate romantic fling with. Whether gay, or straight, or lesbian, or gender-fluid, or whatever. 

Sometimes we encounter people in our lives that we want to be with, but just can't. For all sorts of reasons. And this movie hits that heartstring with a loud and sustaining note.

- ZB