Cannes 2014 Review: ‘Two Days, One Night’

Two Days, One Night is a refreshingly simple but engaging tale of a woman who refuses to give up.

Marion Cotillard plays Sandra, a woman preparing to return to her blue-collar job at a solar panel factor after a health-related absence. The Friday before she’s due to start, Sandra discovers she’s being made redundant after her co-workers are forced to choose between their bonuses and keeping an extra, and now unnecessary, worker on – not pleasant for anyone, let alone someone suffering from depression.

Facing the prospect of losing her and her husband’s apartment, Sandra somehow finds the inner strength to challenge the decision. With a second vote set for the Monday, Sandra sets out to convince her fellow employees to forgo their bonuses so that she can keep her job, her home and her sanity. But many of the others need the money and – despite empathising with Sandra’s situation – have their own issues to deal with.

This is definitely a one-woman show and the Dardenne brothers, known for their slice-of-life films, couldn’t have found a more perfect muse in Cotillard. Not only does her consistent brilliance transfix you to the screen, she also draws out the humanity in her character, as she does with every character she plays – even when they aren’t particularly glamorous.

As for the story itself, I came away with mixed feelings. I really liked the script’s simplicity and was rooting for Sandra all the way; but at times her quest became a bit repetitive, despite each co-worker having their own backstory. Having said that, I could totally relate to the situation and could imagine myself doing exactly the same thing.

Two Days, One Night is good film, with a very relatable story and a great lead performance.

7.5/10

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