‘Love Me Tender’ Review: Vicky Krieps Ignites an Elegant and Moving Portrait of Motherhood at Odds With Selfhood

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In modern societies that pride themselves on progress, it’s often considered a given that a woman’s role as a mother should take precedence over all other aspects of her identity. It’s not just this belief: any woman who isn’t prepared to put all her other affections aside for the sake of her child is deemed unnatural, abnormal, and the epitome of societal taboos – a bad mother. Anna Cazenave Cambet’s powerful, emotional film “Love Me Tender,” adapted from Constance Debré’s semi-autobiographical novel, targets the deeply ingrained ideology that promotes hypocrisy and unattainable standards, and with a captivating performance by Vicky Krieps, effectively exposes this problem. The routes to what is considered success as a mother are limited and closely monitored, but there are countless ways to fall short.

Krieps, slender and athletic, portrays Clémence – a previously lawyer-turned-divorced writer who shares amicable custody of their eight-year-old son Paul (Viggo Ferreira-Redier) with her ex-husband Laurent (Antoine Reinartz, notably the prosecuting attorney from “Anatomy of a Fall”). The story begins with a cheerful and elated Clémence, hinting at a significant personal discovery. One day at the pool, she swims laps, later encounters a woman in the changing room, and then makes a call to her son. He enquires about the distance she swam that day. In a special bonding moment, she indicates the sky to him over the phone.

This version retains the original’s tone while simplifying and smoothing out the sentence structure for easy reading.

In Kristy Baboul’s film, the camera gently floats around character Clémence while a viola plays softly — some days are simply delightful — yet, Clémence has not disclosed her new relationships (neither to Laurent nor Paul). She decides to meet Laurent in a familiar café and shares her secret, hoping for his acceptance and understanding. However, the conversation unfolds unexpectedly, with Laurent feigning acceptance before taking an extended pause on his drink.

Looking back, we will realize that there was more beneath the surface of this scene, as we ponder if Clémence’s casual attitude and her firm rejection of Laurent’s advances later may have triggered his unexpected bitterness. This bitterness eventually leads Laurent to seek revenge on Clémence in a malicious and prolonged manner. At first, he merely keeps Paul away from her, but as a lawyer, he escalates the situation by filing false accusations against her, ultimately succeeding in having her custody suspended entirely. It appears that the potential harm this could cause Paul never crosses Laurent’s mind.

The movie mirrors Clémence’s life in splitting into two paths: One path continues with her professional, personal, and romantic endeavors, while another becomes almost entirely consumed by navigating a lengthy legal battle to reclaim her maternal rights. Despite everyone acknowledging her innocence, this complex process persists, causing an 18-month separation from Paul. In her own words, taken from the autofiction she’s writing, she says, “I miss two of my birthdays and one of his.” Even after this prolonged absence, she is only allowed limited, supervised visits with him. Desperate to hold him in her lap, she pleads, and their embrace offers a poignant respite, but it’s far from the movie’s conclusion.

In excess of two hours, the film “Love Me Tender” seems somewhat prolonged, particularly as Clémence’s relationship with journalist Sarah (portrayed by Monia Chokri) becomes more significant. While Chokri is competent in her role, the chemistry between them feels less authentic compared to Clémence’s casual encounter with Victoire (Park Ji-min from “Return to Seoul”). However, time spent in the company of Clémence, her flatmate Leo (Julien de Saint-Jean), and her father (Féofor Atkine) never feels wasted, as Krieps’ portrayal of Clémence is so captivating. Her performance is truly immense, with every gesture and body language conveying a different emotion – seductive and carefree around potential lovers, relaxed and playful with friends, and tense and constricted in the meditation room, her posture revealing a focused determination to calm her racing heart.

Following the acclaimed “We Believe You” from Belgium in 2021 and the upcoming “All to Play For” with Virginie Efira in 2023, French-language dramas focusing on mothers entangled in family court custody battles are experiencing a surge of popularity. “Love Me Tender” is another significant contribution to this trend, not only for Krieps’ performance, but also for its poignant yet inspiring finale: Clémence makes a challenging, heart-wrenching decision that, as society learns to accept complex mothers as loving figures, may one day seem less transgressive.

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2025-05-26 04:46