Anything For Her
Rating: 6/10
Cast: Diane Kruger, Vincent Lindon
Director: Fred Cavaye
This French drama centres around Lisa (Kruger) and Julien (Lindon), a simple couple whose happy life revolves around their son Oscar.
But their world is ripped asunder when police burst her into their home one day, arresting Lisa for murder. Despite her apparent innocence, she's given 20 years and sent to jail.
Julien's distraught - and despite trying to appeal and heading down the legal track, he soon discovers there's nothing he can do in the face of such insurmountable evidence against his wife.
However, he has an unswerving belief she's innocent and when Lisa attempts suicide, he realizes he has to do anything he can to free her...
Anything For Her is a good solid - if at times, formulaic, drama; a little slow to get going but you gradually get hooked in as Julien works out his plan to get his wife out.
Thanks to Lindon's increasingly desperate performance, it's understandable how he would do anything for his wife and as he grows more frustrated, then that's where the tension really cranks up. Yet Lindon's performance remains plausible as he works out what he can do to ensure his wife lives the rest of her days as a free woman.
It's the final third of this film which comes alive - and it's a shame that it takes too long to explode because when it does, it's a mesmerizing watch. Both the leads are watchable although the direction's a little heavy handed at times and doesn't do anything to rise out of the ordinary. Fred Cavaye does well in some early parts of the film, establishing situations but in others, he loses it using stock shots and flashbacks which are unoriginal.
However, that said, Anything for Her remains a compelling look at what someone would do for love; it steers out of the implausible by offering up sensible solutions for Julien to achieve his goals. It's about courage and having the grit to fight on for your belief.
Just be grateful after watching this, you don't feel you'd have
to go to the same lengths to free your loved one...
