Written and directed by Ryūsuke Hamaguchi, co-written by Léa Le Dimna, and based on the non-fiction book You and I – The Illness Suddenly Get Worse by Makiko Miyano and Maho Isono. Marie-Lou Fontaine, director of a nursing home in the Paris suburbs, defies convention by adopting the ‘Humanitude’ method despite her team’s resistance. Her encounter with Mari Morisaki, a terminally ill Japanese playwright, transforms her life. Together, they turn the facility into a symbol of resistance and humanity against the system’s limits. Starring: Virginie Efira, Tao Okamoto, Kyōzō Nagatsuka, Kodai Kurosaki, Jean-Charles Clichet, Marie Bunel, Romain Cottard, Marie Denarnaud, Gabriel Dahmani and Sephora Pondi.
If there is something that our world could definitely use more of, it’s humanity and with All of a Sudden, Ryūsuke Hamaguchi gives you hope that maybe society could learn to be more empathetic. Clearly Hamaguchi has already proved himself a filmmaker capable of using a lengthy runtime in the right way, but this is another wonderful example. Making a film that is over three hours long, feel like much less, is an enviable skill and one that Hamaguchi has in spades. You get absolutely swept away by the emotions and connections of this film, and it doesn’t feel like a long watch at all.
A lot of that rests on the shoulders of Virginie Efira and Tao Okamoto being such a distinct focus all throughout All of a Sudden, with the film rarely leaving their side, and they carry that weight like a feather. The two of them are simply superb, it is effortless to watch them craft this gorgeous, pure connection. They have instant chemistry, one that is not defined by typical parameters, it doesn’t need to be romantic, platonic or otherwise, it can simply exist within its own realm because it’s so dynamic and engaging.
It’s tricky to put into words the astounding nature of the performances from Efira and Okamoto, they bring qualities which are utterly gracious, intelligent, generous, creative, committed and compassionate. There’s such a stirring tone to their entire relationship, it captures how much it can mean to find the right person at the right time, and they also challenge one another while their connection continues to deepen throughout All of a Sudden. They portray a remarkable kindness which hits you like a wave and carries you away until the credits roll.
They also have a terrific supporting cast behind them, there’s no weak link to be found, with such a great mix of personalities, and they all add to the complexity of All of a Sudden. The cinematography from Alan Guichaoua does a particularly excellent job of matching the spirit of the writing and performances, it’s striking yet still. It captures the complexity and has an elegance and empathy.
All of a Sudden is a beautiful film, one that is made with such sincerity and thoughtfulness to portray its message of humanity, respect and kindness, that it is genuinely inspiring. It’s unsurprisingly shot with an empathetic eye which captures some stunning visuals, with wonderful depth. The story is deeply moving and Ryūsuke Hamaguchi is excellent at finding the best, most captivating qualities to his characters to make them effortlessly fill those lengthy runtimes. It’s striking in so many ways but none more so than the performances from Virginie Efira and Tao Okamoto, which are phenomenal, genuine, poignant, compassionate, the list could go on and on, and it would probably never do them true justice. It’s a lovely story which will bring a tear to your eye in much more than one way.
