GIRL ON THE BRIDGE review

Sometimes you simply lose track of time. Sometimes you confuse having talked relentlessly about a film, you forget that you have actually never written about it.

Today, I searched my site in the vain attempt to find my review of GIRL ON THE BRIDGE. As it turns out, I have never reviewed it... though I saw it in February of this year.

I have been in its spell every moment since.

GIRL ON THE BRIDGE is by far my pick as the best film I've seen this year. It is French. It is Black and White. It is unapologetically mystically romantic. This is one of those films that I tuck in the inside coat pocket next to my heart... a film I show to the one I love to say... Like that.... this is how I love you.

I have not seen the film since February. I would kill for the DVD or for the film to appear in my local area. But right now, it plays only in New York and Los Angeles.

What is this film? What makes it so good?

GIRL ON THE BRIDGE is a story about two unremarkable discarded beings. Two people that apart are not what they are when they are together. It is the story of transcendent magical love. And it happens to have the best musical score I've heard this year. AGAIN... PURE LOVE.

Shot in Black and White in that way that... well, it's a lurid sensual shot through gauze sort of Black and white. The film has a stark sense of fate and chance. The two people could miss one another on any other day, but here... on this day... desperation called them together. Now these two pieces, these half-beings, now they are one.

And when together, the world bends to them. The fates are with them. Every second and moment is a triumph.

You see... this is a story of a knife-thrower and his target. There is no nudity, no sex scene... but the eroticism is soooo incredibly poignant that you will become uncomfortably delighted in your seat.

You remember that moment in AGE OF INNOCENCE where in the carriage....

DISTRACTION...

The phone rings, it is her. You know folks. Romance loves difficulties. It really really does. Sleeping Beauty needed to be separated by giant thorns and a fierce dragon. The Beast needed to be cursed and dying. Snow White needed to be sleeping an eternal sleep. Ilsa had to leave Rick... But dammit the difficulties are so damn... complicated. I have a new romance thing going on here in my life and it's just difficult and impossible, but ya know what... if it is meant to work, then impossible and difficult are just words that I'm meant to brush over with liquid paper. Sigh. But damn if you don't get that excited breathy giddiness.... damn if your cheeks don't rush full of blood and the heart beats a bit faster. But the call was short, a brief catch up for the course of the day. One of those.... oh, there you are... yup, you're distracted too? Yup, me too? God this is impossible... Yeah but we're doing it all the same, right? Yup... Sigh. Sorry sorry... I know, you are currently gagging and going... MOVE ON... MOVE ON....

End of Distraction (and if you believe that I'll sell you some bridge on the east coast)

AGE OF INNOCENCE... yes, well, remember that scene in the carriage where Daniel Day Lewis moves the glove just an inch and touches her exposed wrist with his own bare hand... Remember how utterly romantic and beautiful and real that was? Well...

GIRL ON THE BRIDGE, it's about that feeling... always. About love and sex and sensual things, all with clothes on and apart by 15 to 20 feet.

You remember how perfect and real the relationship between Natalie Portman's character and LEON was in THE PROFESSIONAL? How there was never sex, but the perfect match of tragic souls was complete?

That is here.

This movie is bottled erotic thrills and passion. The movie is love and Vanessa Paradis and Daniel Auteuil... they are as perfect as Rick and Ilsa.... as perfect as L.B. Jeffries and Lisa Fremont.... as perfect as any couple has ever been perfect with one another.

The film has a sad air about it... as if at any moment they will be torn apart by rage, chance, death, bitterness, misguided passions and the like. This is love. For every moment that you nose takes in her Fragrance, you spend the majority of your day wondering if you will have that... tonight. Will there be a car crash, a mad bomber... does she have brain cancer, do you?

This film is a bottled fear factory of love and the hurdles we leap. The scary thing about real love, is sometimes... real love is too intense to last forever. Sometimes it is on quick burn... the feeling lasts forever, but we don't.

I cannot recommend this film higher. There are no words I can say that express my true feelings. If you saw me in person, and asked me about this film... you would see a passion in me explode into a wild semi-crazed state of flailing arms and insane gesticulation.

Pursue this film as though your life depended upon it. If... if you are a romantic. If you love... find this film. You will not ever for a second regret it. It is a perfect thing.