Summary:Julia Jarmond, an American journalist married to a Frenchman, is commissioned to write an article about the notorious Vel d’Hiv round up, which took place in Paris, in 1942. She stumbles upon a family secret which will link her forever to the destiny of a young Jewish girl, Sarah. Julia learns that the apartment she and her husband BertrandJulia Jarmond, an American journalist married to a Frenchman, is commissioned to write an article about the notorious Vel d’Hiv round up, which took place in Paris, in 1942. She stumbles upon a family secret which will link her forever to the destiny of a young Jewish girl, Sarah. Julia learns that the apartment she and her husband Bertrand plan to move into was acquired by Bertrand’s family when its Jewish occupants were dispossessed and deported 60 years before. She resolves to find out what happened to the former occupants: Wladyslaw and Rywka Starzynski, parents of 10-year-old Sarah and four-year-old Michel. The more Julia discovers - especially about Sarah, the only member of the Starzynski family to survive - the more she uncovers about Bertrand’s family, about France and, finally, herself. (The Weinstein Company)…Expand
Interesting and heartbreaking movie in many respects. However....I watched this movie with English sub-titles and these were the worst sub-titles that I have seen in 40 years of watching foreign films. The company who did the subtitles obviously did not either speak French or English - oneInteresting and heartbreaking movie in many respects. However....I watched this movie with English sub-titles and these were the worst sub-titles that I have seen in 40 years of watching foreign films. The company who did the subtitles obviously did not either speak French or English - one or the other. The subtitles looked as if they had been done by a computer generated program like Babel Fish or Google Translate with all of the faux pas and oddities that come with using those programs. To me, the screwed up subtitles were off-putting and detracted from the movie. Besides the screwed up translations, there were spelling errors such as words with a Quote Mark at one end of the sentence and no closing quote. One line said something like "I will meet u". instead of "you". These are mistakes that should not have happened in the international release of a movie.…Expand
A magnificent film,which will keep you completely engaged from the opening scene right through the credits. Totally absorbing and the crowd (mostly grey-haired) were respectfully silent for the entire 2 hours. The movie beautiful weaves the past and the present into a compelling tapestryA magnificent film,which will keep you completely engaged from the opening scene right through the credits. Totally absorbing and the crowd (mostly grey-haired) were respectfully silent for the entire 2 hours. The movie beautiful weaves the past and the present into a compelling tapestry which has a searing, if not entirely surprising, conclusion. Tears filled my eyes at the conclusion, tears shed for so many reasons. I must admit to a particular affinity for themes of this nature. Nevertheless, I was terribly impressed.…Expand
An unusual film that combines two stories and the journey of two women dealing with issues that impact their life. Sarah a young jewish girl who survives the French Roundup in 1942 and Julia who late in life becomes pregnant during her investigation into Sarah's life and has to deal withAn unusual film that combines two stories and the journey of two women dealing with issues that impact their life. Sarah a young jewish girl who survives the French Roundup in 1942 and Julia who late in life becomes pregnant during her investigation into Sarah's life and has to deal with her husbands not wanting the child. It's a quiet film for it's subject matter. The director was careful not too weigh on story more than the other and in the process lost the dramatic impact of both life altering decisions. Kirstin Scott Thomas portrays Julia with a great deal of restraint and reserve. Melyanne portrays Sarah with mostly expression in after she's matured. The young Sarah is excellent but is decidedly held back to let the finding of her brother have a great deal of impact. It really doesn't have the impact that the director intended. The supporting actors are much more interesting in some aspects than the two central figures. The farmer Dufare stands out immediately. Visually it's as quiet as the pace of the entire film. The stories conflict one another without a great deal of explanation for why Julia is so driven to find Sarah and how Sarah who survives the Holocaust can't seem to find that her survival is miraculous enough to build a new life. It's a rather quietly intense film without a great deal of hystrionics.…Expand
Kristin Scott Thomas plays a journalist in Paris, who makes personal discoveries as she researches an article on a shameful event: During the Nazi occupation, the French authorities rounded up more than 13K Jews for the death camps. This bi-lingual film alternates between Thomas' quest forKristin Scott Thomas plays a journalist in Paris, who makes personal discoveries as she researches an article on a shameful event: During the Nazi occupation, the French authorities rounded up more than 13K Jews for the death camps. This bi-lingual film alternates between Thomas' quest for truth and the wartime plight of one family. The plot (although somewhat predictable and deliberate) is the main reason to watch. The recreations, while horrific in description, are never horrendous in execution. The emotions stay primarily on the surface and this keeps the film from being emotionally involving.…Expand
A film is not necessarily successful for featuring a moving depiction of difficulties revolving around the Holocaust. Sarah's Key misses the mark, especially with Kristin Scott-Thomas.