Things to Come
Oops, just missed it! This film is no longer available on Netflix streaming or DVD. Things to Come (L'avenir) is a mid-life crisis drama about a women played by Isabelle Huppert who is losing all of her bearings: a typical art-house French movie you could argue. But one that is touching, funny and incredibly human. Think Eat, Pray, Love without all the usual clichés of the genre.
What happens when the life you've worked so hard to build falls apart? Nathalie, a philosophy teacher who mastered juggling between family and work is about to find out as her husband of 25 years abruptly decides to leave. Lost and confused, Nathalie is also free to start a new life.
Yes there is a French air to this film – conversation about cheeses and Jean-Jacques Rousseau, a visit to the family house in Brittany and so on. But there is also something universal about this soul-searching story, which looks nothing like the Hollywood take on the subject.
Isabelle Huppert, in the title role, is, as you could expect, unforgettable, helped by the subtle eye of Mia Hansen-Løve. Ultimaltely, Things to Come (L’avenir) is a very special film about many ordinary moments.