User Reviews

I was not too enchanted by this movie. I think it brings back Québec cinema to the 70's. There's nothing wrong with that but the film lose points on originality.

One aspect of the film that makes it worth seeing is the acting. Marie-Ève Bertrand delivers a strong performance as Yvonne, the young un-married woman who now seems out of place at the family home. Guylaine Cloutier too is good as Yvonne's sister, Hélène.

The cinematography is nice but not great. It could have been a lot better. The themes studied are not new but are well develop, with a touch of mysticism.

Out of 100, I gave this one 72. That's good for ** out of **** stars.

Seen in Toronto, at the Carleton Odeon Cinemas, on March 16th, 2002.

"Mariages", set in 19th-century rural Quebec, is a story of the sensual awakening of a young woman who was raised by her stern older sister in an austere environment. Yvonne has been groomed for life in a convent. Despite the spiritual and emotional boundaries imposed by these expectations, Yvonne finds herself compulsively drawn to the natural world around her, in a process of self-discovery that is imbued with mystical and possibly inevitable forces from the past. The cast, led by Marie-Ève Bertrand as Yvonne, is uniformly outstanding. Jean-Claude Labrecque's cinematography is reminiscent of Sven Nykvist's work with Ingmar Bergman. Interiors are dark and repressive, often lit only by candlelight. In this environment, people are trussed up in restrictive clothing, their essential selves hidden from view. In contrast, the exterior world that Yvonne explores is vibrant and bursting with life: we see glorious images of the classic elements of water, wind, and earth. In water, Yvonne seems to be reborn, in a kind of reverse Garden of Eden allegory. This is an astonishingly beautiful and nuanced film, full of elegant symbolism. Yvonne's journey is utterly captivating, with moments of breathtaking honesty and insight. Highly recommended. Available on DVD.