Watch A Very Long Engagement

A Very Long Engagement is a French film set in the aftermath of World War I. The movie follows Mathilde, a young woman who is searching for her fiancé, Manech, who she believes may still be alive despite being officially declared dead by the French army. The film, starring Audrey Tautou as Mathilde and Gaspard Ulliel as Manech, takes place in France in the years following the war. Mathilde is convinced that Manech did not die on the battlefield, despite the army's insistence that he and four other soldiers were killed after being court-martialed for self-mutilation.

Mathilde, a woman of great determination and strength, sets out to uncover the truth about what really happened to Manech and the other soldiers, even when everyone else has given up hope. Her search takes her through a maze of military bureaucracy, complicated legal procedures, and the stories of those who knew Manech and the other soldiers.

Along the way, Mathilde encounters a cast of characters, including Jodie Foster as a highly-skilled private investigator named Elodie Gordes, who she hires to help her unravel the complicated web of lies and deceit surrounding Manech's disappearance.

As the movie unfolds, we see Mathilde's tenacity and persistence as she uncovers more and more about what happened to her fiancé. She meets former soldiers who all have their own stories about what happened on the day the five men were taken away, and each new piece of information leads her closer to the truth.

The film is visually stunning, with director Jean-Pierre Jeunet (Amélie) using color and light to create a dreamlike atmosphere that matches the surrealist nature of the story. Tautou delivers a strong performance as Mathilde, a woman who refuses to be defeated by the grim realities of war and bureaucracy. Ulliel's portrayal of Manech is nuanced and affecting, and the chemistry between the two leads is palpable even when they are apart.

A Very Long Engagement explores themes of love, loyalty, and the human cost of war. It is a powerful story about the sacrifices made by those who fought in WWI, and the people who loved them. The film is a bit long, clocking in at just over two and a half hours, but it never feels slow or tedious thanks to Jeunet's masterful direction and the elegant pacing of the storyline.

Overall, A Very Long Engagement is a beautifully crafted film that is both emotionally resonant and visually stunning. It is a testament to the power of love and the lengths we will go to in order to uncover the truth.

A Very Long Engagement is a 2004 drama with a runtime of 2 hours and 13 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.6 and a MetaScore of 76.