One Fine Morning (2022) User Reviews

Familial Dynamics...

[Xstal · 6/10 · 16 April 2023]

There are challenges that your life has had presented, large hurdles that have left you less contented, after becoming a young widow, there's just you and a young kiddo, and now your fathers progressively, getting more demented. But those close all lend a hand and give support, as your father's moved around from port to port, an old friend becomes much more, becoming someone you adore, though he's married, and you're not sure if he'll abort.

The perpetually magnifique Léa Seydoux plays Sandra, as she juggles a child, an aging father and a new lover, in a tale that might hit home if you have connections in part or in whole with her plight, but ultimately is a pretty ordinary affair or variation on often encountered themes.

An honest exploration of love in different relationships

[mariusgsc · 7/10 · 13 October 2022]

Mia Hansen-Love's new film "Un beau matin" tells the story of a single mother, played by the fantastic Léa Seydoux, who has to take care of her sick father after he has been diagnosed with a neurodegenerative disease. At the same time, she falls in love for the first time after the death of her daughter's father a few years back. "Un Beau Matin" is a very conventional Parisian drama, which nonetheless unfolds quickly with a strong energy which makes it stand out from similar films.

Hansen-Love explores love in different variations by switching almost episodically between the protagonist's three relationships: the alienated father who's not able to recognise her after a while, the lover who is cheating on his wife and her daughter whom she has to raise alone. In all these relationships, the film searches for moments of truth, and it finds them, for example in a beautiful scene in which the protagonist explains to her daughter how and why she recognises her father rather in his books than when she actually spends time with him.

It's a film full of honesty and comprehension, and Léa Seydoux is as usual fantastic at embodying the young woman who is torn between the three relationships, trying to fulfil their expectations while suffering themselves from the difficulties. In quiet but meaningful scenes, Mia Hansen-Love deals with the sickness of her own father by humanising the decision of letting go for the sake of others, and ultimately yourself.

The Challenge of Love

[berndgeiling · 8/10 · 20 June 2023]

Beautifully written and directed french drama about the possibility or impossibility of love in different relations, for a lover, a child, a father.

I loved the bitter sweet story, explored here with tenderness, lightness, humour and melancholy, reminding me of the best achievements of french cinema by Sautet or Lelouch in the 60s and 70s. Chemistry between Seydoux, who I never found acting more subtle and intense, and Poupaud with great sensitivity, works ideally. Pascal Greggory, one of the greatest french actors of his generation, gives a very touching performance as a father desperately fighting for his dignity against a mind threatening lethal disease, I also loved the natural performance of the little girl playing Seydoux' daughter.

There's hope in the end and we all know again what it's worth living for! Strongly recommended.

One Fine Morning

[CinemaSerf · 6/10 · 18 April 2023]

"Sandra" (Léa Seydoux) is at a crossroads in her life. Her ageing, academic, father (the scene-dominating Pascal Greggory) has been diagnosed with a neuro-degenerative disease that is pretty much robbing him of his quality of life. He is an acclaimed philosopher who finds his increasing lack of ability to think and to remember exasperating. Meantime, she also reconnects with her old friend "Clément" (Melvil Poupaud). He delights in being called a cosmo-chemist (he studies meteoric dust using a rather impressive mass spectrometer). It's clear from the outset that these two have the hots for each other and, despite the fact that he is married with a young son, they embark of quite a lively affair. She is juggling her affection for him while struggling to find an adequate facility for her father; he is having a crisis of conscience as he falls more deeply in love but has his own family to consider. That's about the height of it. Even with the underlying - and rather depressing - analysis of the care provision for her elderly and increasingly failing father adding some gravitas to the film, the story itself is all a rather lacklustre drama centred around two people who are actually quite selfish. They both have responsibilities and as you'd expect, as their relationship develops, these become predictable millstones that we can anticipate all too readily. It has aspects of a soap to it, and though both leads are easy on the eye, I don't think either really have enough here to allow their characters to develop nor to really engage with an audience that has seen this sort of narrative unfold many, many, times before. It looks good - the filming and performances from the younger children are very natural, but at the end I was wondering what was different here. It will work fine on the television, but I doubt I will remember much about it in a fortnight.

Didn't Get the Point

[mhtmelgar · 7/10 · 17 June 2023]

I liked this movie because I like Lea Seydoux, like the subdued yet deep acting of French actors and their stories, yet struggled to understand how it ended and what the point was. It felt like I rode a bus and really enjoying the ride, waiting to reach the final destination, only to get there and not remember why I went, to begin with. I struggle, even now, to make it to the requisite 600 words to create a review, because that is the point-- I do not know what else to say. I am by no means dull and have a penchant for watching international movies that are quite gems, but did not see what the whole point at the end was. I did thoroughly enjoy the characters of this movie. Lea is, as always, an outstanding actress.

Powerful poignant story

[searchanddestroy-1 · 3 June 2023]

This female director, guilty of this terrific little drama, has alreaady commited other ones of this kind. So realistic stories, so close to real life, always pulled by awesome, convincing performances. Lea Seydoux, Pascal Gregory, Melvil Poupaud, Nicole Garcia...A dream team in a cast to tell a so gripping, but also painful story about love, the end of life. It is impossible to stay cold blooded, iced, watching such a story. Impossible not to love such a film. I highly prefer seeing this than a most of crime flicks; and I am a great crime movies lover. But French dramas of this kind, I will never get tired of them. Never.

Touching a thoughtful

[steveinadelaide · 7/10 · 12 June 2023]

One Fine Morning - Un beau matin (2022) is a romantic drama film written and directed by Mia Hansen-Løve, starring Léa Seydoux, Pascal Greggory, Melvil Poupaud and Nicole Garcia. The film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in 2022, winning the Europa Cinemas Label Award for Best European Film. It tells the story of Sandra (Seydoux), a widow and translator who cares for her father, Georg (Greggory), a former philosophy teacher with neurodegenerative disease. She meets Clément (Poupaud), a married chemical cosmologist who has returned from a work expedition at the North Pole, and they start an affair.

The film explores the themes of love, loss, memory and mortality through the parallel stories of Sandra and Georg. Sandra is trying to cope with her grief and loneliness while also facing the challenges of finding a suitable nursing home for her father, who is gradually losing his cognitive and sight abilities. Georg struggles to hold on to his identity and dignity as he experiences hallucinations and confusion. He often talks about his girlfriend, Leila, whom he met in Algeria during the war. Clément is a catalyst for Sandra's emotional awakening, as he shows her a different perspective on life and science. He takes her to his lab, where he studies the origin of the universe and the possibility of extraterrestrial life.

The film is shot beautifully by Denis Lenoir, who captures the contrast between the urban and natural landscapes and the changing seasons. The score by Nicolas Godin is subtle and atmospheric, enhancing the film's mood. The acting is superb, especially by Seydoux and Greggory, who convey their characters' complex emotions with nuance and sensitivity. Seydoux portrays Sandra as a strong but vulnerable woman torn between her duty and desire. Greggory delivers a heartbreaking performance as Georg, who is aware of his condition but tries to maintain his sense of humour and curiosity.

The pace could be faster and more varied; some scenes feel unnecessary or repetitive. The dialogue is lacking in naturalism and spontaneity. The relationship between Sandra and Clément is not very convincing or compelling, as they lack chemistry and depth. The film also avoids addressing ethical and moral issues, such as the impact on their respective families.

One Fine Morning - Un beau matin (2022) is a touching and thoughtful film that deals with universal themes realistically and humanly. It is not a typical romantic drama but a meditation on life, death, love, and memory. It is a film that will make you feel both sad and hopeful, as it shows the beauty and fragility of human existence.

Simply wonderful

[bert-huys-242-355755 · 10/10 · 1 November 2022]

This is the best movie I have seen in the cinema so far this year, followed by 'Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom' and 'Piccolo Corpo'.

The story looks simple, but because of the wonderful acting performances of all, especially of Lea Seydoux (much better in this genre of films than in all her Hollywood period), 'Un beau matin' is - in my opinion - already a timeless classic drama.

It's the kind of film that only European countries can make, and it's even more a typical French film. 'Un beau matin' is a very honest and beautiful movie, not bound by time or space. It's a timeless story.

The movie is especially good because the storyline is disarmedly strong and honest, with restrained emotions.

The film is made even more beautiful and stronger by the many silent moments between the dialogues. There is also not too much talking, which I always like a lot.

The expression on Lea Seydoux's face, who plays Sandra (a widow and mother of one daughter), says a lot more than some emotional tantrum.

And then there is the wonderful music of Schubert and the recurring beautiful music of Jan Johansson. Many thanks to director Mia Hansen-Løve for letting me get to know this Swedish pianist, what a discovery!

In the small hall of the small cinema everyone sat full of admiration and listened to the music till the last letters of the final credits were gone.

Beautiful in every single way

[KatAleksa0604 · 10/10 · 9 February 2023]

I want to describe this film as getting a big hug from the most important person in your life, the one you haven't seen in a long time. There's such warmth mixed with longing. This film is a series of ebbs and flows. Happy and sad - all wrapped up in a beautiful package. You peek into Sandra's life, go on walks around Paris with her, watch her worry about the state of her dad, and let her find solace in the arms of a married man. Emotions live in every frame of this film. Every moment plays with no judgment. Sandra is you or me or anyone, and she's living her life in the best way that she can.

While this may not appeal to many people's tastes, I believe it's a film that can bring out a familiar memory out of everyone: the double-edged sword of caring for the people we love.

Seamless, Simple, Stirring

[JoshuaMercott · 8/10 · 3 June 2023]

My Impressions:

Léa Seydoux's outstandingly natural acting and Melvil Poupaud's intimate chemistry with her character made "One Fine Morning" feel meaningful, relatable, and special.

This French movie captured a lot of life's simple moments. I suggest watching it with subtitles, if you don't speak the language.

Smart pacing made the story run smoothly from one scene to the next. Together, each sequence built upon the themes that came before it and stirred deep emotions, like a favourite piece of music is known to do.

Sandra was a widow and took care of her daughter as well as her mentally challenged father, who had a neurodegenerative disease called Benson Syndrome. She was drawn to a single dad named Clément, whom she used to know back in the day.

Tender love, earnest longing, and the need to balance those with their own personal lives - and the people already in them - defined Clément and Sandra's character arcs in this quintessentially French film.

A classic continental style graced the romance and desire angles in "One Fine Morning". These were elegantly counterbalanced by themes relating to family, hope, confusion, frustration, and loss.

The movie was not slow, rather carefully paced. In fact, "Un Beau Matin" ("One Fine Morning") was a great example of what real filmmaking is all about. It dignified its characters by properly portraying their humanity and telling their stories in no uncertain terms.

Hair-makeup and costume design were great. Art direction and set decoration were good. Editing and sound effects were notable. Music and Cinematography was engaging. Screenplay and Direction were amazing.

all this boring beauty

[johnpmoseley · 4/10 · 29 October 2023]

I got so bored watching this that I made up a little song as I did: 'I know you got nothing to say / But you waste my time with it anyway.'

Really, I don't mean to single this movie out, it's more what I feel about 90% of the arthouse fare I encounter these days, especially on Mubi.

This one's very pretty, not just in terms of its actors but their clothes and homes - like a lot of French films, which increasingly look as if they're parodying themselves with these impeccable, magazine-spread stylings.

It even has the raggedly worn out cliché of a philosophy professor as a prominent character. We see lots of his books, but naturally no actual philosophical discussions are had, unless you count the film's general, implicitly panicky message that life is short and we should grab love while we can. Not good or serious philosophy at all in my view, in practice leading not to this film's too easy happy ending but to a lot of frustration with love turning out not to be the great cure-all of such sentimental myth.

At least the best romances let us believe and bask in the myth for a short while by inducing us to fall in love with the protagonists, but what are we to do with the blandly dimensionless, insipidly nice people we see here? My song went on: 'It's not enough to look at your pretty face / Telling me stories that don't go any place.'

One of the best french movies of the decade

[alexduhamel94 · 9/10 · 17 October 2023]

Wow. What a beautiful and emotional movie. I simply LOVED it. Cried the whole time.

Léa Seydoux proved once again that she is an AMAZING actress. What a difficult and emotionally-charged character to play.

I felt very connected with the story in some way even if I'm happily in love and both of my parents are together and healthy. But as an only child, there is always that fear of ending alone one day or that fear or being alone taking care of my parents if something ever happen (health related).

I was just plunged into the movie and it made me think alot, not just negatively.

That is cinema for me. A movie you will remember for a long time with an amazing cast and gorgeous photography. Bravo!

Another simple, passionate masterpiece from Hansen-Love.

[MOscarbradley · 10/10 · 16 January 2024]

With a Mia Hansen-Love film you know precisely what you are going to get; love stories filled with passion yet passion so artfully disguised you might even mistake it for indifference. No such chance of that happening in "One Fine Morning", however. The passion in Hansen-Love's new movie is almost tangible. Sandra, (a never better Lea Seydoux), is a single mother who also looks after her elderly father, (Pascal Greggory), while working as a translator. One fine morning she meets Clement, (Melvil Poupaud), an old friend and embarks on an affair with him despite his being married.

The passion here isn't just sexual. Hansen-Love gives us a sometimes angry but always passionate account of the ageing process, of illness and of a daughter's love for her father and it's certainly one of her finest and most moving films and every performance is superb down to the smallest part. The director has great affinity, not just with the professional actors but also with the non-professionals she casts as well and that affinity allows her to turn her characters into real people that we, too, can relate to as clearly as Hansen-Love does. Funny and at times painfully sad, just like life, this is a truly wonderful film.

Incredible drama

[martinpersson97 · 10/10 · 26 July 2023]

This film, by a great director and showcasing some beautiful and authentic acting, is very much worthy of every film lover's time.

The script is beautiful and real, featuring some relatable and tragic, yet real and somber situations in every day life. The actors all do a great job at portraying it, and the cinematography is incredible, as befitting of such a great director.

Overall, an incredibly well written, acted, cinematographied, cut and edited piece that is most definitely one of the best films of the year.

Of course very much recommended for any lover of film, and a wonderful piece at that!

almost unwatchable despite Lea Seydoux's performance

[septimus_millenicom · 3/10 · 14 January 2024]

It was absolute agony to stream through this film; it took me multiple breaks to manage. Mia Hansen-Love is truly one of the least talented filmmaker who has ever lived. Ever character she has created is bland. Every scene she has shot is bland; it must take an anti-genius to have made so many films without a single memorable shot, without any trace of visual elegance.

For example: her father's room in the nursing home has dull, blank, greenish walls. You'd think this is making some sort of statement, but skip to the next scene, the Seydoux daughter character is making love in an apartment, and the walls are also a blank dull green. The holiday family gathering scene near the end is so astonishingly ineptly shot, it may as well be a home movie on a camcorder. In fact that description pretty much sums up Hansen-Love's directing career.

I have spent a chunk of time visiting nursing homes for the elderly in my youth. There was heartbreak, there was joy.

Never bland-bland-bland sort of "this is just another day."

The only saving grace of this film is the music, including the use of a Schubert piece found also in _Au Hasard Balthasar_.

Is she comparing Seydoux's character to the donkey? Or Pascal Gregory's? I'm probably giving the director too much credit, but at least this isn't her _Eden_, with music so awful you want to strangle someone.

A phenomenon like Hansen-Love's art-house "successful" career can only be possible because of art-house critics' cronyism and tolerance for mediocrity. I see so many French films in any given year, directed by women (often ex-actresses like Hansen-Love herself was), which are so much more challenging and exciting. Last year alone there was Sandrine Kiberlain's brilliant _A Radiant Girl_, a star-making vehicle for Rebecca Marder; Triet's _Anatomy of a Fall_ of course; the unique, Poetic, and deeply personal _Paris is Us_ by Elisabeth Vogler; _Suzanna Andler_ (by Benoit Jacquot to be sure, not a woman); _Full Time_; and more. Other than _Anatomy_, they are all ignored by critics while prosaic films like _One Fine Morning_ turn into magnets for praise. It is a sad state of affair.

A Remarkable Experience...

[PopCulture_Vibe · 9/10 · 4 August 2023]

This movie was a remarkable experience for me.

It depicts the story of Sandra (Lea Seydoux), a single mother who balances her responsibilities of caring for her elderly father, who has neurodegenerative disease, and raising her young daughter.

The film showcases the excellent craftsmanship of the screenplay, cinematography, and direction, creating a realistic and engaging story.

Lea Seydoux delivers a stunning performance as Sandra, portraying her struggles and strengths with authenticity and emotion. Melvil Poupaud and Pascal Greggory also contributed to the depth and complexity of their roles.

The movie started with a character who advises Sandra not to let anyone pity her. I thought this was a common theme in the movie, as Sandra faced many difficulties and challenges in her ordinary life, but she never gave up or lost hope. She had some problems with her relationship with Clement, but she always tried to cope with her situation. She was a resilient and optimistic person, just like many people in the real world. Sandra is a relatable character who strives for a better future.

The film is full of emotional moments that touch the heart and inspire the spirit. I highly recommend this film to anyone who appreciates a well-crafted drama.