The Double Life of Véronique is the story of two young women who are -- in some mysterious and irresolvable way -- the same woman leading two different yet interconnected lives. Those familiar with Polish director Krzysztof Kieslowski's later "Three Colors" trilogy of Blue, White, and Red will recognize his fascination with accidental happenings and chance encounters, as well as Irène Jacob (from Red) whose performance as both Veronika and Veronique won the 1991 Cannes Film Festival award for
best actress. Veronika and Véronique are born on the same day in 1966, one in Poland, the other in France. They grow up separately, unaware of each other's existence, but with the vague and rarely expressed feeling that they are "not alone." The story begins in Poland, where Veronika (like Véronique) is a talented vocalist and music student who wins a prestigious singing competition and is given the chance to perform with a local symphony. On the night of the concert, while singing a duet onstage, Veronika loses consciousness and dies. Véronique is emotionally wounded by the loss of her double and decides to end her singing career. The film charts the effect of Veronika's death on Véronique and on her dispassionate and unsatisfying relationships with men, especially her father. She is led to puppeteer and children's book author Alexandre Fabbri (Philippe Volter), whose puppet shows and stories are dramatic variants on her own mysterious problem. While looking through photographs of Véronique's trip to Poland, Fabbri discovers a picture of Veronika walking through a student demonstration in Kracow. He shows the picture to Véronique, who intuits the significance of Veronika's perfect likeness to herself. ~ Anthony Reed, Rovi
The parts do not quite fit, and anyway this is not a puzzle to be assembled. It is a romance about those moments we all sometimes have when we think we see ourselves at a distance.
Refracted reflections take center stage in Krzysztof Kieslowski's The Double Life of Veronique, an poetic overture on the power of senses and sensibilities.
If Kieslowski's overarching metaphors about Weronika/Veronique seem strained, Jacob's sensuous and delicately nuanced performance will double your pleasure.
Kieslowski's most lyrical and metaphsical film, with a haunting performance from Irene Jacob, is also one of his most bizarre and enigmatic works--by design.
Compelling, challenging and irresistibly beautiful, this delicate metaphysical masterpiece only emphasises how much cinema lost through Krzysztof Kieslowski's tragically early death.
A strange but interesting film which unfortunately did nothing for me. It was too confusing trying to work out what was happening and when and what exactly Jacob's facial expressions were meant to represent. Left me with too many questions however the message that life is fragile and you should cherish every moment is
very heart warming.
December 26, 2011
Sophie Burgess
Super Reviewer
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