Anything for Her opens on a black screen and the sounds of distorted breathing and anguished cries. When a picture finally appears we are greeted with the face of Julien (Vincent Lindon) staring into the backseat of his car looking dismayed. We have no idea who this horror-struck man is, let alone what has just happened. It is a long time before we are caught up. It is this sense of the unknown that helps Fred Cavaye keep us hooked into a story that is somewhat clichéd and plodding.
Ever since the success of Tell No One (2006) the French have been dabbling in the realm of the suspense thriller. Anything for Her is their latest offering to the genre. The story concerns Lisa (Diane Kruger), a woman wrongly accused and incarcerated for murder, and her husband who hatches an elaborate plot to bust her outta the clink. What is quickly established through the scenes depicting Julien planning the break out is that he is clearly way out of his depth. A softly spoken French teacher and a sensitive father to the couple’s young son, this is not a man you would imagine has the stomach to “dispatch bystanders.” An early meeting with an escaped criminal delineates what is needed to capture freedom, and retain it. This supplies the throbbing pulse of the film. We watch intently as Julien grows ever more haggard and determined, silently wondering if he will ever have the guts to carry out his plan.
The story itself, however, is the least believable aspect of Anything for Her. An ordinary husband going to criminal lengths to free his wife, still radiant despite being in prison for years, just doesn’t ring true. Another aspect of the plot which just doesn’t make sense is not only the ridiculous ineptitude of the police force, a spot of blood on the back of Lisa’s coat is enough to convict her despite the fact that the victim took a blow to the face from the front. But also its incredulous efficiency, a bit of a headlight is found, sent to the lab, identified as belonging to Julien’s car and Julien’s plot found out in less than three hours. Never has police activity been so on the money. Despite all this the chemistry between Kruger and Lindon has us wanting Julien to pull it all off. We care for them as a couple and want them to get away with it. Achieving that in a film so riddled with plot holes is an accomplishment in itself.
By revealing the truth of Lisa’s supposed crime so early on in the film, Cavaye rids himself of an obvious point of tension but not only this he leaves himself without an ending that would lend itself better to a satisfying conclusion. As it is there is something deeply unsatisfying about Anything for Her.
Ever since the success of Tell No One (2006) the French have been dabbling in the realm of the suspense thriller. Anything for Her is their latest offering to the genre. The story concerns Lisa (Diane Kruger), a woman wrongly accused and incarcerated for murder, and her husband who hatches an elaborate plot to bust her outta the clink. What is quickly established through the scenes depicting Julien planning the break out is that he is clearly way out of his depth. A softly spoken French teacher and a sensitive father to the couple’s young son, this is not a man you would imagine has the stomach to “dispatch bystanders.” An early meeting with an escaped criminal delineates what is needed to capture freedom, and retain it. This supplies the throbbing pulse of the film. We watch intently as Julien grows ever more haggard and determined, silently wondering if he will ever have the guts to carry out his plan.
The story itself, however, is the least believable aspect of Anything for Her. An ordinary husband going to criminal lengths to free his wife, still radiant despite being in prison for years, just doesn’t ring true. Another aspect of the plot which just doesn’t make sense is not only the ridiculous ineptitude of the police force, a spot of blood on the back of Lisa’s coat is enough to convict her despite the fact that the victim took a blow to the face from the front. But also its incredulous efficiency, a bit of a headlight is found, sent to the lab, identified as belonging to Julien’s car and Julien’s plot found out in less than three hours. Never has police activity been so on the money. Despite all this the chemistry between Kruger and Lindon has us wanting Julien to pull it all off. We care for them as a couple and want them to get away with it. Achieving that in a film so riddled with plot holes is an accomplishment in itself.
By revealing the truth of Lisa’s supposed crime so early on in the film, Cavaye rids himself of an obvious point of tension but not only this he leaves himself without an ending that would lend itself better to a satisfying conclusion. As it is there is something deeply unsatisfying about Anything for Her.
By R.M
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