The Double Life of Véronique (1991)

The Double Life of Véronique (1991)

A melancholic and entrancing drama that explores identity and intimate connections through two identical women whose lives briefly intersect

The Very Best

8.4

Movie

France, Norway
French, Italian, Polish
Drama, Fantasy, Mystery, Romance
1991
KRZYSZTOF KIEŚLOWSKI
Alain Frérot, Aleksander Bardini, Bogusława Schubert
98 min

What it's about

Véronique is a beautiful young French woman who aspires to be a renowned singer; Weronika lives in Poland, has a similar career goal and looks identical to Véronique, though the two are not related. The film follows both women as they contend with the ups and downs of their individual lives, with Véronique embarking on an unusual romance with Alexandre Fabbri, a puppeteer who may be able to help her with her existential issues.

The take

Krzysztof Kieślowski’s drama stars Irène Jacob as two identical women living separate lives, and the intricate and indelible ways in which they are bound together. While Weronika, a Polish singer, balances her familial duties and intimate romantic relationship, a French music teacher named Véronique senses that she is not alone.

The Double Life of Véronique’s hypnotic and entrancing qualities will wash over you like a tide crashing over a bed of sand. It is a tough film to capture in words, when so much of it is just beyond words—Kieślowski’s film is one to be seen, sensed, and experienced. 

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