DVD Pick: I've Loved You So Long

Not at all a romance as its title might suggest, I've Loved You So Long (2008) is a character study of a tough-minded, upper-middle-class woman struggling to figure out how she should deal with society after serving a lengthy term in prison. Portraying that woman is Kristin Scott Thomas, who was nominated for a Best Actress Oscar for her work in The English Patient and was also memorable in Four Weddings and a Funeral. In I've Loved You So Long, Scott Thomas gives a powerhouse performance. Her character's sister is played by Elsa Zylberstein, and the two actresses have wonderful on-screen chemistry.

One of the best things about the movie is its setting, the city of Nancy in northeastern France. The film's writer-director, Philippe Claudel, is a professor of literature at the University of Nancy, and he makes good use of his first-hand knowledge of this milieu to create a fascinating world for his fictional characters. The movie shows us an attractive city with many cultural offerings, pleasant cafés and inviting public gardens.

The narrative is driven by the gradual unveiling of the details of the crime for which the central character spent 15 years behind bars. The ending is tidy, but schematic. This feels contrived, working against the naturalistic acting and realistic character development. But it's churlish not to forgive the film for being less than perfect. Its strength lies in its handling of setting, relationships and day-to-day life. Despite its flaws, this is a powerful story of healing and beginning anew.

The DVD contains seven deleted scenes with optional commentary by writer-director Philippe Claudel. These scenes have a total runtime of five and a half minutes. Claudel speaks in French, and there are English subtitles. There's nothing especially interesting here, except Claudel mentions the movie contains several references to painting, particularly to that of American realist Edward Hopper.

When I've Loved You So Long was shown in American theaters, it was in French with English subtitles. (Lead actress Kristin Scott Thomas grew up in England, but she also speaks French.) On the DVD, the feature film will by default play the same way it did in the theaters. However, for viewers who find subtitles unacceptable, the DVD provides an option to watch the movie with the dialogue dubbed into English. In this version, Scott Thomas speaks with her usual British accent and isn't bad, but the other actors are dubbed with hammy American-sounding radio-drama-like voices. The overall effect of the English-language dubbing is to disconnect the dialogue from the visuals, destroying the film's organic unity.

Below I have listed all the details for the I've Loved You So Long DVD.

Release Date: March 3, 2009
Feature Film Runtime: 1 hour 57 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for Thematic Material and Smoking
Widescreen (1.85:1), Color
French Dolby Digital 5.1
English Dolby Digital 5.1 (with voice of Kristin Scott Thomas)
English Subtitles
Deleted Scenes (7 scenes with total runtime = 5 1/2 min.)
Theatrical Trailer