Directed by Jacques Audiard (A Prophet), Rust and Bone is a powerful drama starring Academy Award-winner Marion Cotillard (The Dark Knight Rises, La Vie en Rose) and Matthias Schoenaerts (Bullhead). Ali (Schoenaerts) dreams of becoming a professional boxer. When he is suddenly put in charge of his five year old son, he moves in with his sister for support. Whilst working as a nightclub bouncer, he meets the beautiful and confident killer whale trainer, Stephanie (Cotillard). He gives her his number, not expecting that she will ever call. After being the victim of a tragic accident, Stephanie surprisingly turns to Ali for support. These lost souls discover new meaning in life together when Ali enters the dangerous world of underground boxing. Winner of the Best Film Award at the London Film Festival in 2012, nominated for two BAFTA and Golden Globe Awards. ***** (Lovefilm) Two towering performances in a film of genuine power **** (Daily Telegraph) Stunning **** (Empire) Excellent **** (Evening Standard) Special Features:Audio Commentary with Jacques Audiard, Thomas Bidegain and Arnaud CalistriThe Making of Rust and BoneThe Special Effects of Rust and BoneDeleted Scenes From . In the films of Jacques Audiard, the disadvantaged tend to triumph over adversity, like the hearing-impaired secretary in Read My Lips or the illiterate inmate in A Prophet. Rust and Bone, which draws from Craig Davidson's short-story collection, presents a pair of individuals with a unique set of challenges. Ali (Bullhead's Matthias Schoenaerts in a performance of great strength and sensitivity) arrives in Antibes from Belgium with no money, no wife, and a 5-year-old son, so he goes to stay with his estranged sister and her wary husband. After securing a job as a bouncer, the former boxer extracts orca trainer Stphanie (Marion Cotillard, who doesn't hit one false note) from a fracas at a nightclub. He's hoping for something more, but she isn't available. Ali gives her his number anyway, and that might be the end of that until a routine at the marine park goes horribly awry, and Stphanie suffers a devastating injury. After her release from the hospital, she gives Ali a call. When he sees her again, he expresses no surprise or disappointment regarding her diminished state, and his lack of judgment lifts her out of despair. Just as Ali starts to fight again, she returns to the water, and the process of rebuilding begins. In the months ahead, Stphanie becomes even more independent, but fears that her life as a woman will never be the same--and it won't, but Audiard makes the unlikely romance that develops between these two into something truly touching. -- Kathleen C. Fennessy
