Hell, the second part of a planned trilogy taking in Heaven/Hell/Purgatory from the great Krzysztof Kieslowski and writing partner Krzysztof Piesiewicz is a ammiable piece of film making.
Set in Paris, it centres around three sisters, Sophie, Celine and the youngest Anne, all of whom have no contact with one another. Each seem to be living there own private hell. Celine lives a quiet life, caring for the sisters mother, Celine is married with two young children and has suspicions her husband his having an affair and Anne the youngest is seemingly having an affair with her married tutor.
A young man appears on the scene and begins to try and talk to Celine, little does she know of his true intentions and how what he has to say will bring the sisters back together to face an age old question and understand what happened to their farther, whom in the 1980's was sent to prison for apparent child molestation and after returning from pison in one the films more dramatic scenes has a violent confrontation with their mother, ultimatly leading to his suicide, witnessed by the girls.
The cast are all good in their respective roles, especially Emmanuelle Beart as Sophie, portraying a women who must come to terms with the fact her husband is cheating on her, this portrayal is at times more than utterly believeable and the scene with her and her husband in the kitchen is one of the films highlights. Karin Viard's Celine is a difficult character, her performance is that of a person who has clearly not experianced the joy's of life to there full degree, spending alot of time with there apparent vapid mother. Marie Gillain brings sensetivity to her love lorn character, who's affair with her tutor is all but over even though she still pines for his attention, the scene where she goes to her friends house to talk of her feelings is another of this films highlights and brings about a minor twist in the story.
Writtens solely here by Krzysztof Piesiewicz, from a 30 page treatment from the late Kieslowski the film seems more of a homage to the late writer/director. Whilst this once again in keeps with the usual Kieslowski themes, the film even takes a sequance from one of Kieslowski's own Dekalog's.
Whilst theres not alot of happiness on offer here the film does have a way of showing true emotion and how to dramatise it an an unsuperficial way. Directed here by Danis Tanovic he knows how to get the best from his actors and set the scene's at times in an uncomprimising fashion, the film is at it's best when the characters are in confronatation and confliction and Tanovic makes this look so natural and honest.
Director of photography Laurend Dailland brings a visual style to the film that is stark and at times lonely, helping to portray the characters emotions on a more visual level, he also uses the back drop of Paris to good affect also.
The only thing that affects the film is unfortunatly the musical score, composed by Dusko Segvic and Tanovic himself it seems too bombastic and over the top at times, one particular piece of music really does detract from the story at one point of the film, but this is only a minor gripe.
Hell is a good watch, encompassing everything that is great about the work of Krzysztof Kieslowski, with fine performances from the main cast, although the ending may leave you feeling flat this is still another great snap shot of the short comings of life and how it can ultimately be manipulated by others and changed by chance.