2) Two Days, One Night
While its titular ticking clock and checklist structure make it almost Nolan-esque in comparison to their other films, Two Days, One Night is just as patiently, precisely observed in its slice-of-life approach to drama as other films from the Dardennes brothers. The plot stakes are low: a Belgian woman (Marion Cotillard) has just one weekend to convince her co-workers to save her job instead of taking a pay bonus. The emotional stakes, though, are as high as can be, contained and pressurized in Cotillard’s Sandra as they are in any person fighting for their existence day-to-day.
Though the film’s social politics comprise an important part of its identity, what makes Two Days, One Night such an affecting work of soulful humanism is its unflinching portrayal of the ugly banality that comes with depression. Using characteristic long takes, the Dardennes capture every cycle of gain and setback faced by Sandra, every moment of despair and hope a person can experience when the present crisis might be their last. In the process, the Dardennes and Cotillard craft a heroine of unique circumstance but universal humanity, and pay loving tribute to the everyday support and empathy that forms between family, friends and communities.
