Rust and Bone

Name: Rust and Bone
Genre: Drama, Mystery, Romance
Released: November 23, 2012
Duration: 120 min
Rating: 73
Cast: Marion Cotillard, Matthias Schoenaerts

2012

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Generally favorable reviews based on 39 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 98 Ratings

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7.9

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7.9	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 98 Ratings

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Movie Details & Credits

Sony Pictures Classics | Release Date: November 23, 2012 | R

Starring: Marion Cotillard, Matthias Schoenaerts

Summary: Put in charge of his young son, Ali leaves Belgium for Antibes to live with his sister and her husband as a family. Ali's bond with Stephanie, a killer whale trainer, grows deeper after Stephanie suffers a horrible accident.

Director: Jacques Audiard

Genre(s): Drama, Mystery, Romance

Rating: R

Runtime: 120 min

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Critic Reviews

100

Ann Hornaday

Dec 20, 2012

Turns out to be one of the most transportingly romantic movies of the year, one that finds the most stirring emotion in struggle rather than in ginned-up melodrama or easy resolution. Read full review

The Playlist Kevin Jagernauth

Nov 21, 2012

By the picture's knotty finale, in which Audiard navigates a late-stage twist with ease and emotion, you know you are in the hands of a master who is directing with the confidence and command that few possess. Read full review

Boxoffice Magazine James Rocchi

Nov 21, 2012

What Audiard has created here is nothing less than the rare combination of high art and beautiful filmmaking with visceral power and gut-level emotional reality - it's like a symphony of fists, or a brutal assault by angels. Read full review

Mick LaSalle

Dec 20, 2012

A tough movie about tough people for a tough audience. So prepare to get roughed up a little. Read full review

Dec 6, 2012

Rust and Bone is a movie about letting go of shame and making way for the advent of pleasure. Let that be your guide to watching it as well. Read full review

Peter Rainer

Dec 7, 2012

Rust and Bone is made by filmmakers and actors who are capable of much more – and they know it. The result is a true oddity: an orgy of hokum dressed up as an art film. Read full review

Melissa Anderson

Nov 20, 2012

Audiard himself might have benefited from a simple reminder of left from right; his rudderless film confuses a pileup of preposterous, sentimental scenarios with genuine emotion. Read full review

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User Reviews

miki00

Nov 23, 2012

Just beautiful! Marion Cotillard really excels in expressing feelings with the less word possible. Audiard mixes love, sex and brutality like it's actually a natural thing. This drama is so down to earth and well acted that you accept every aspect of Ali & Staphanie's tough personality, evenJust beautiful! Marion Cotillard really excels in expressing feelings with the less word possible. Audiard mixes love, sex and brutality like it's actually a natural thing. This drama is so down to earth and well acted that you accept every aspect of Ali & Staphanie's tough personality, even if they are not very lovable. They don't try to make you love them, they just tell a story with it's simplicity and all of it's complexity at the same time. Another Audiard and Cotillard home run.… Expand

3 of 3 users found this helpful30

nutterjr

Mar 28, 2013

It is a meticulous study of the characters portrayed brilliantly by Marion Cotillard and Matthias Schoenaerts, who switch between brutality and tenderness throughout this multilayered story written and directed by Jacques Audiard who also made the unforgettable "Un Prophete". Once again heIt is a meticulous study of the characters portrayed brilliantly by Marion Cotillard and Matthias Schoenaerts, who switch between brutality and tenderness throughout this multilayered story written and directed by Jacques Audiard who also made the unforgettable "Un Prophete". Once again he creates a film that has got me talking about it.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

NedRyerson1

Jan 15, 2014

Rust and Bone is a brilliant movie, nothing like I have seen before. It is amazing how this film manage to show so much with little things, and those are a father with a son in need, a woman with an uncommon job and a dysfunctional love relationship. The director also apply small cameraRust and Bone is a brilliant movie, nothing like I have seen before. It is amazing how this film manage to show so much with little things, and those are a father with a son in need, a woman with an uncommon job and a dysfunctional love relationship. The director also apply small camera shots and low lighting, in order to demonstrate in a better way the emotions of the characters and the cruelty of the reality. The idea of the story is to exhibit Ali, a man that suddenly becomes in charge of his son, but the thing is that he does not know how to do it. When he or his son gets hungry, he looks for food scraps or steals from a store. If he needs money, he works in whatever it takes, no matter if other people get hurt. And when he is angry or stressed, he goes to a fight club. The protagonist is like an animal, does what he wants when he wants. So out of nowhere, he meets Stephanie, a killer whale trainer. And as the same as her whales, she will train Ali to face the world correctly. That is why he is rust, like a metal that cannot withstand the environment. And he needs to become bone, like Stephanie, that resists every obstacle in life. The most overwhelming part is the scene after the accident when she is on the rooftop of her building, practicing the old routine with the killer whales. You can notice that when she raises her arms, her eyes reflect an ineffable feeling of nostalgia, but with a willing of fighting.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

asthobaskoro

Dec 1, 2012

Marion Cotillard shine on entertaining Rust and Bone. Compelling, emotional and funny although the subject is serious. Losing legs doesn't mean losing vagina, the movie tell us the basic rule of sincerity with hilarious way.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

DawdlingPoet

Nov 24, 2021

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This is a drama film, with a strong element of romance present (its more of a drama than a romantic drama as such, if you know what I mean - its certainly not a regular 'chick flick' style film). Themes covered include anger, pride and survival.

I thought it was quite a gritty film, relatively dark and sober in tone. I found during one of the key scenes, it was a bit confusing in terms of precisely what happened, due to the camera angles used - it certainly heightened the sense of panic and confusion but im not sure if thats ultimately a good thing. Perhaps it would have been a bit too (overly) gory or gruesome had more specific detail been shown visually but the way the attack/accident is depicted, its clear to have been a very frenzied and seemingly sudden and unexpected occurence. I felt it was relatively haunting at times, with slightly chilling, low key/low tempo instrumentals played as we see Stephanie slowly begin to adjust to her new found situation. I thought the plot was quite intriguing - it certainly isn't a typical, predictable type of film. There is, certainly at the start of the film, relatively little in the way of dialogue, which some may like given that its a French film and so we have to read subtitles to follow it fully (unless, of course, you speak/understand French). There is an element of mystery about it too, I suppose you could say but then people who prefer fast paced, special effects laden films may be disappointed, as this film does have a quite slow plot pace overall. I also noticed that, camerawork wise, there are a fair few jerky shots which seemed a little unnecessary at the time, although these aren't always during key scenes.

It seemed, to me, like it was trying to bring across some pretty big themes, during the course of the film. I say that as the start seems, both visually and otherwise, quite dark and surprisingly the lighting and scenery featured after the accident becomes much brighter and sunnier. I'm not entirely sure if its fair to interpret that too deeply but it is something I definitely picked up on.

Cast wise, Marion Cotillard plays Stephanie, while Alain is played by Matthias Schoenaerts. I liked Cotillard in this role - she gave a real sense of (ironically) freedom in the way she is, which is ironic given her circumstance. She comes across as quite clued up, quite appreciative and I thought it made for quite a refreshing performance. Armand Verdure plays Alains son, Sam, who seems quite a sensitive soul, rather juvenile and yet unsure about certain things - there's definitely a parental love shown, although it does become strained as the plot develops. Other cast members include Celine Salette as Louise, Corinne Masiero as Anna and Bouli Lanners as Martial.

Content wise, the film contains some strong language and a few sex scenes, although their mostly dimly lit and there's little in the way of explicit (full frontal) nudity, with partial nudity being shown. Some fights are depicted and there are instances where blood is shown, which could upset some. There is little in the way of graphic violence. Due to this content, the film was given a 15 rating.

I thought the dialogue was quite good - there are some interesting coversations, some fairly thoughtful ones, as well as some more throwaway comments. It is somewhat hard hitting, as I say being fairly gritty but I thought it was quite a well made film, with the sex scenes not appearing overly unnecessarily gratuitous. It won't suit everyone but it features a good performance from Cotillard and I thought it was a generally well made film, if a bit unsettling (although I can't quite put my finger on exactly why).

As mentioned before, I thought this was quite a well made film. Its relatively gritty and dark but it also has a sense of hopefulness and features a good performance from Marion Cotillard. If you don't like slow paced films or films with subtitles then this won't be for you but otherwise, I'd recommend it.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

MarcDoyle

Dec 8, 2012

Cotillard and Matthias are two of my favorite actors, so I was looking forward to this film. It delivers on many levels - the visuals are incredible, to say the least. The blunt, animalistic nature of Ali turns out to be the perfect antidote to the recently disabled orca wrangler, which isCotillard and Matthias are two of my favorite actors, so I was looking forward to this film. It delivers on many levels - the visuals are incredible, to say the least. The blunt, animalistic nature of Ali turns out to be the perfect antidote to the recently disabled orca wrangler, which is inspiring. But the Ali's extreme selfishness and lack of regard for his son was a bit over-the-top, and it detracted from the effectiveness of the film as a whole. It was so extreme as to border on the unbelievable. Perhaps the filmmakers could have dwelt a bit more on the circumstances through which the boy's mother left the picture and the fighter's response to it. Cotillard is SO effective in her role that she makes up the film's broader shortcomings. I got the sense that the film could have been so much more with the talent behind it.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

jgzeger

May 31, 2013

A ridiculous movie about a kick boxer's (Alain) relationship with a whale trainer (Stefanie), obviously not your everyday people. After Stefanie loses her legs, they have sex, but afterwards, on another date, Alain goes off right in front of Stefanie to spend an evening with another woman heA ridiculous movie about a kick boxer's (Alain) relationship with a whale trainer (Stefanie), obviously not your everyday people. After Stefanie loses her legs, they have sex, but afterwards, on another date, Alain goes off right in front of Stefanie to spend an evening with another woman he just met. Stefanie says to him "we're not animals," but she's wrong as that's exactly what Alain is. Alain loves his son, which presumably makes him ok guy I would have given this movie a 1 had it not been for the good acting and direction as I think the plot and characters are garbage.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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