Marion Cotillard Pleads for Her Job in Trailer for 'Two Days, One Night'

Looking for a light and cheery film to enjoy this holiday season? Er, then might I suggest staying away from anything by the Dardenne Brothers? The directors behind stark, emotionally crippling works like The Kid with a Bike, L'Enfant, and Lorna's Silence are back with their latest look at a life gripped by quiet desperation. Marion Cotillard stars in Two Days, One Night, a ticking clock drama about a mother who has one weekend to convince her co-workers to give up their bonuses so she can keep her job. Fun, right?

I had a chance to see about 90% of this recently, only to have the last 15 minutes cut off by a technical mishap. So I can't really give it my full review except to say that it's another great showcase of Cotillard's talents, revealing many of the same traits she displayed in Rust & Bone. Obviously this isn't a movie for everybody, but the trailer will give you a pretty good idea what to expect...minus the soundtrack. The Dardennes and emotional musical scores? Not so much.

Two Days, One Night opens in limited release next month.

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New Trailer for The Dardenne's 'Two Days, One Night' with Marion Cotillard

Those who have experienced, perhaps a better word is endured, the Dardenne Brothers' previous films know to expect only the most uncompromising of human dramas. Their latest film Two Days, One Night appears to be in line with their other work; down to earth, well-acted, and harrowing. Marion Cotillard stars as a woman who must convince her co-workers to give up their annual bonuses so she can keep her job. It sounds simple but as the new trailer shows the emotions involved are anything but.

The film played at Cannes where it was lauded as one of the festival's finest, and hopefully we'll get a release date for later this year or early next. Two Days, One Night opens in the U.K. on August 8th.

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The Dardenne Brothers land Marion Cotillard for 'Deux Jours, Une Nuit'

Belgian filmmakers the Dardenne Brothers' style of deeply personal, often uncomfortable dramas aren't exactly Hollywood material, which is why you don't see many big names in their films. Landing Cecile de France for their Grand Prix award-winning The Kid with a Bike was a big get for them, but their next project has just scored an actress with unquestioned global notoriety.

Marion Cotillard, who many (like me) would say was shafted at this year's Oscars for Rust and Bone, has just joined the Dardennes' latest film, Deux Jours, Une Nuit (aka Two Days, One Night). She'll play Sandra, a woman who has only a single weekend to track down and convince her work colleagues to turn down their annual bonuses so she can keep her job. Joining Cotillard as her husband is Fabrizio Rongione, who appeared in two prior Dardenne efforts. The Dardennes' wrote the script, and it sounds like another timely character study from two of the best.

It couldn't be a more natural fit, really, as Cotillard has done a superb job of balancing mainstream roles with interesting character pieces. Production begins this summer, so go ahead and slot this for 2014's international awards circuit. [The Film Stage/Screen Daily]

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