This beautifully photographed drama about some real French monks in 1990s Algeria (during civil unrest) has garnered beaucoup awards and nominations. Everything I've read about it is filled with spoilers, so I won't link to any articles. Co-written (with Etienne Comar) and directed by Xavier Beauvois, it is sad but lovely, with long lingering shots of the anguished men. Cinematographer Caroline Champetier (87 credits, all French, none that I've seen) was nominated for a European Film Award for her work on this. The soundtrack, attributed to lead actor Lambert Wilson (many credits both here and in France) consists mostly of the monks' singing hymns a cappella. I was hoping to hear the excerpt from Beethoven's Symphony 7 that we enjoyed each time we saw the trailer, but, in the movie they used part of Swan Lake instead, which we had just heard in Black Swan.
The critics on rottentomatoes have given this 91%, with audiences weighing in at 78%. We found it slow but soulful.
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