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Belgian film making brothers,Jean Pierre & Luc Dardenne have done it again. With a respective body of works that span some thirty,or so years,starting with some documentary shorts,mainly for Belgian television,to some toothsome fare,such as 'The Child (L'enfant)','Rosetta' & 'The Promise',they have crafted a well written portrait of an Albanian woman,named Lorna (played by Albanian actress, Arta Dobroshi),who is living in Brussels and trying to become a full time citizen (we are never told why she fled from Albania). She is married (in name only)to Claudy (played by Jeremie Renier)who is a junkie that is always looking for his next fix of Heroin. Her friend from back home,Sokol (played by fellow Albanian,Alban Ukaj)is always on the make for one money making scheme,after another (and most using Lorna as a means to an end). When Claudy dies from a Heroin overdose, it's up to Sokol to try & arrange another marriage for Lorna,this time to an Russian illegal immigrant. Does Loran go through with it,or does she finally get tired of Sokol's controlling ways? The film lives up to it's namesake in at least two ways (Lorna's life seems to be a closed book,plus the sparse use of music on the soundtrack is a metaphor,as well). The photography really works for this film (the film at times seems to be devoid of colour,to the extent that it seems to be shot in black & white,although Lorna herself seems to have a penchant for wearing the colour red a lot). This is a very well written & directed film from two brothers that know how to tell a story (as bleak as they tend to be,which usually always makes for great drama). Spoken in French,Albanian & Russian with English subtitles. Rated 'R' by the MPAA for some nudity,brief sexuality & language,and a bit of violence (but nothing too gory). Leave the little ones home (who would probably be bored by it,anyway,as the pacing is somewhat slow).
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