The Truth (2019)

Director: Koreeda Hirokazu
Stars: Catherine Deneuve, Juliette Binoche, Ethan Hawke
Runtime: 106 minutes

Synopsis: A stormy reunion between scriptwriter Lumir with her famous mother and actress, Fabienne, against the backdrop of Fabienne's autobiographic book and her latest role in a Sci-Fi picture as a mother who never grows old.

Verdict: I'm always curious to see what's cooking in Koreeda Hirokazu's lab. He's one of the most sincere filmmakers working today, and his trademark family dramas always have a certain depth to them that makes them fascinating to watch despite their light nature. "The Truth" marks his first non-Japanese project and is lead by an all-star cast that includes names such as Catherine Deneuve, Juliette Binoche, and Ethan Hawke.

The film sees Lumir and her family pay a visit to her mother, a famous actress getting ready to publish her memoirs and act in a new movie alongside a young up-and-comer. You can immediately see that their relationship is bumpy, and it doesn't take long to understand why as Lumir confronts her mother the very next day about lies she had written in her book. She painted their mother-daughter relationship to be an ideal one, when, in fact, Fabienne had been absent throughout most of her daughter's childhood. And it's that very conflict that makes the watch such an interesting one as Koreeda uses the opportunity to suggest that sometimes memories can be deceiving while fiction, in the form of the movie Fabienne is working on, can be illuminating and truthful, hence the appropriateness of the title. Despite some hiccups in the narrative and a disappointing lack of emotional punch, this very idea drives the narrative, providing the movie with a unique theme that will stick with you well after the credits start rolling.

"The Truth" is far from being Koreeda's best cinematic effort but remains worthy of your time. Deneuve and Binoche are both phenomenal in it as Fabienne and Lumir, and Ethan Hawke serves as a nice addition as the latter's American husband. If you're a fan of the Japanese filmmaker's previous films, check this one out as well, but don't expect another "Shoplifters" or "Like Father, Like Son".

FINAL GRADE: 7/10