After Fall, Winter (2011)

After Fall, Winter (2011). 2h 12m | Not Rated

“This is a love story about two broken people (Michael stated that all people are broken)trying to find repair (salvation, redemption, purpose, etc.) through love. However, the damages that Michael and Sophie bring into the relationship makes it difficult for them to develop a relationship. u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eMichael is a masochist and Sophie is a dominatrix by profession who caters to masochistic men. You would thus think they were soul mates. However, Sophie only role plays her sadistic posture in her work and is not truly a dominatrix personally. Michael is a failure with many redeeming qualities and his masochism mollifies his failures and subsequent depression. Both enter the relationship hiding something from each other, and this serves as an invisible barrier to their love. u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eFor the first time in her life, Sophie overcomes her anxiety over intimate love and finds herself falling in love, following Michaelu0026#39;s lead in his dependent need for her.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eHowever, Michael reveals himself as a pathetic failure who deceived her and she leaves him with disastrous consequences.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe movieu0026#39;s ending is disappointing since the potential for developing a love relationship could have been actualized with time and proper honest communication.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe movie is extremely well done in all aspects except the ending. The ending could have easily been revised in different ways to make a fulfilling story.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eManuel Bonnet as Michael and Lizzie Brocheré as Sophie were both superb. For me, Brocheréu0026#39;s performance ranks with that of Giulietta Massina in u0026quot;La Stradau0026quot; as one of the best female performances.”