John O'Riordan

A beautiful life affirming film, and it is that, not because it glamourises life but because it is true to life; true, because it starts by showing the differences, those of nationality, age, political beliefs, and ends by showing its universality; each individual person is all, and all must not be reduced to a stereotype but to the individual, and that is what the film reveals, individuals in all their complexities, good and not quite so good. The performances of the leads has rightly been praised but not to be overlooked are those of Ernst Stótzner and Marie Gruber as Franz's parents, who are both brilliant, exquisitely, subtly demonstrating the evolving empathies and humanity of the characters. This is an adult film (in the right sense of that word, so it is appropriate for all ages). The direction, as it reveals the gradually unfolding story of complexity, has a sense of scrupulous truth. There are two endings to the film, first the true one. One suspects that someone then yielded to a demand to impose a more desirable ending- it is the only lie in a brilliant film.

Stunning feeling of the beauty of the the mountains in winter, but for that We just might have switched off. One had to studiously ignore the many contrivances, like a cougar conjured out of nowhere so as to end up as foodstuff for a few days, and the ability to light fires with nothing visible to hand. Most of it was formula driven, like the 'obligatory', but, (given the stage of the development of the relationship of the two characters) improbable sex scene. The two actors contrive to keep the movie interesting- in spite of an uninspired screenplay. Glad though we stuck it out to the end at which point the two performers (particularly Kate Winslet) wonderfully knit up the emotional complexities that have unravelled before them.