Three Colors: Blue

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Three Colors: Blue

R

1993

1h 37m

Drama

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Popcornmeter

96%

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57 Reviews

93%

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25,000+ Ratings

Julie (Juliette Binoche) is haunted by her grief after living through a tragic auto wreck that claimed the life of her composer husband and young daughter. Her initial reaction is to withdraw from her relationships, lock herself in her apartment and suppress her pain. But avoiding human interactions on the bustling streets of Paris proves impossible, and she eventually meets up with Olivier (Benoît Régent), an old friend who harbors a secret love for her, and who could draw her back to reality.

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Critics Consensus

Three Colors: Blue contains some of director/co-writer Krzysztof Kieslowski's most visually arresting, emotionally resonant work -- and boasts an outstanding performance from Juliette Binoche in the bargain.

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Derek Malcolm

Guardian

06/22/2023

The film is almost totally schematic and this weakens it. What strengthens it is the sheer emotional power of its making.

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Kevin Maher

The Times (UK)

03/30/2023

5/5

The score from Zbigniew Preisner is extraordinary, the opening motorway crash sequence is terrifying and the final close-up, as Julie is ultimately reconciled to her fate, is unutterably moving.

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Peter Bradshaw

Guardian

03/30/2023

5/5

There is something so rich and spacious and unhurried here. There is a wonderful reach and flair in Kieślowski’s film-making.

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Bianca Garner

Filmotomy

10/10/2024

Kieślowski makes it feel like a dream, that is slowly fading away from memory.

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David Parkinson

Radio Times

09/06/2024

5/5

Juliette Binoche gives an intense yet sensitive performance as the survivor of a car crash that killed her family, who discovers that, no matter how great her pain, she doesn't have the freedom to give up life.

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Carlos Boyero

El Pais (Spain)

07/05/2024

Kieslowski and his usual co-writer, Krzysztof Piesiewicz, portray loneliness, emotional paralysis, and the devastation of the soul as has rarely been done in the history of cinema. [Full review in Spanish]

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Jonathan K

@aFIREintheattic 6d

I liked it. Juliette Binoche is great, of course. It does get a little weird at the end, but mostly I think it's just leaning surrealist and interpretive for artistic purposes not story ones. The score is interesting since this is a movie about a composer, with this nice sense of cohesion in the way it weaves through the whole thing and comes to the forefront during critical moments. I get that the idea of "blue" is tied to liberty here, or freedom from memory and grief. It’s about trying to remove yourself, isolate, escape all of that. But the message ends up feeling pretty simple. It didn’t strike me as especially profound from a story or symbolism standpoint. I think I was expecting something more layered, or at least presented in a more creative or nuanced way. Instead it feels quite direct, even obvious. The performances are good, but they’re very understated, which I think is part of why it didn’t fully land for... [continued on letterboxd]

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Maverick C

@MaverickCinema Feb 15

Juliette is truly brilliant. Very touching movie. Well acted and directed and written. Highly recommend for any lover of cinema and European cinema.

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Joy B.

@9mr_0 Dec 30

إحدى روائع السينما الفرنسية رحلة هادئة ترافق البطلة في معاناتها ومحاولة هروبها إلى أن ينتهي بها المطاف بتقبّل الواقع والتعايش معه أداء جميل وهادئ من طاقم العمل مدعوم بموسيقى قوية ومؤثرة تعكس الصراعات الداخلية للشخصيات تصوير متناغم تمامًا مع السرد وإخراج عبقري منح القصة حقّها

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Leprechaun K

@LeprechaunKing Dec 15

Movie is somewhat slow and uneventful. Shooting style is flat and monotone (hence the "blue"). Juliette Binoche delivers an excellent performance and carries the movie on her shoulders. Perhaps the expectation is too high given all the praise.

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Jan Z

@RT33639358 Nov 1

My all time favorite movie. Masterful. Intense. Audiovisual. Been lying under my skin since first time I saw it.

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Will G

@Wgoodeve Jun 24

A great French film! Part of the Three Colors trilogy. There was drama and romance. A woman loses some of her family members. Also she works with someone on sheet music.

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Krzysztof Kieslowski

Director

Juliette Binoche

Julie Vignon-de Courcy

Benoît Régent

Olivier Benoit

Florence Pernel

Sandrine

Charlotte Véry

Lucille

Emmanuelle Riva

La mère de Julie

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Synopsis

Julie (Juliette Binoche) is haunted by her grief after living through a tragic auto wreck that claimed the life of her composer husband and young daughter. Her initial reaction is to withdraw from her relationships, lock herself in her apartment and suppress her pain. But avoiding human interactions on the bustling streets of Paris proves impossible, and she eventually meets up with Olivier (Benoît Régent), an old friend who harbors a secret love for her, and who could draw her back to reality.

Director: Krzysztof Kieslowski
Producer: Marin Karmitz
Screenwriter: Krzysztof Kieslowski, Krzysztof Piesiewicz
Production Co: Tor Film Production, CAB Productions, MK2 Films, France 3 Cinéma, Ced Productions
Rating: R
Genre: Drama
Original Language: French (France)
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 3, 1993, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 11, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA): $539.2K
Runtime: 1h 37m
Sound Mix: Surround

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