Oscars Countdown 2015 - Two Days, One Night

Ensign Lestat's Oscars Countdown, 04/02/2015

Two Days, One Night

Nominations - Best Actress (Marion Cotillard)

It's a phone call that wakes Sandra (Marion Cotillard) in 'Two Days, One Night'. She's concentrating on saving her tart from the oven when she gets some bad news. She convinces herself not to breakdown, but doesn't succeed. Over the course of the next 90 minutes, Sandra's story is revealed to us. Her friends and her enemies are determined as she makes the tiresome journey to each of their homes in a desperate attempt to win their vote. 

Facing unemployment, Sandra, with the help of her husband Manu (Fabrizio Rongione), meets her colleagues to convince them to vote in her favour in a ballot at work. Unfortunately, her ruthless boss has pit her re-hiring against the team's bonus. She makes her case to several, winning some over, overwhelmed by the response of some, and devastated by others. She has to succeed in gaining a majority, and she must do so over the course of the weekend - two days, and the night of Sunday.

We follow her as she repeats her plea over and over again. If it's tedious for us as viewers, we can just imagine what it would be like in her shoes. She's weary even before she starts her journey. She breaks down several times, but pulls herself up on her husband's insistence. 

Three films in a row have featured supportive husbands of complicated wives. These husbands have a lot in common - they play second fiddle to their wives, all of whom are salt-of-the-earth women, living regular lives till they come across an extraordinary hurdle. And they are all husbands of characters nominated for Best Actress. 

2014 was hailed as the year for complicated women overpowering the Hollywood trope of the strong woman. I love strong women characters, but the complicated ones always resonate with you more.

The story of 'Two Days, One Night' felt contrived throughout. I can't imagine a similar situation occurring in any corporate scenario (though I am hardly an expert on professional organisations), no matter how big or small. Sandra works (or worked) with a team of 16, and it is seemingly a local business, because the majority of the employees are reachable in less than two days. The overriding sentiment of the film is relevant in a world facing a dramatic economic downturn. Too many people clamour for too few job opportunities and most live off poor wages. We're all desperate to make an impact, but struggle against the tide on a daily basis. Films are our escape from the same, and a simple film like this one, which ends on a triumphant but startlingly pragmatic note, can stay with you a long time. 

The most enduring moment of the film comes at the end, and the image of Sandra smiling through pain and joy is a fine testament to Cotillard's continuing talent. When she won her Oscar for 'La Vie en Rose' way back in 2008, I knew she would win just from watching the short clip of her performance at the awards. She was invisible, yet encapsulated the icon absolutely. Sandra, on the other hand, is an everywoman, dealing with a crisis that way too many people will be familiar with (though the circumstances will be quite different for most). Cotillard's turn as Sandra is effortless - she excels in displaying Sandra's wavering emotions. She's so utterly convincing, you spend a lot of time worrying about how she will react at the next meeting. And at the end, as jubilant as you may feel, you worry how she will handle this next phase in her life. I feel Cotillard has a very slight chance of a win. I have a sneaky suspicion the Academy will probably go for the popular vote (Gone Girl's Rosamund Pike), instead of the far superior performances of pretty much everyone else in the category. This isn't a hard-fought category, but it's a versatile and rewarding one.

What works in this film is the insight into the other characters. We meet all of them briefly, but we understand their responses because of how they are presented to us. We are shown their circumstances, not told about them.

I'd never have come across this film had it not been for the Oscars. It's worth a watch for its ups and downs. It's very true to life, despite its contrivances. 

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