Very well executed

Did you people see the same film I saw?

This is a dark and sometimes deeply uncomfortable drama

It is encouraging that the film ends so strongly.Otherwise, it wouldn't have been a particularly memorable film

Impressed by her performances in The Woman Next Door and 8 Women,I started keeping a look out for other titles starring Fanny Ardant. After the magical Intouchables ended,another French film appeared on BBC iPlayer,which led to me looking ahead to a bright viewing.The plot:Stuck in a loveless marriage and mourning the death of her friend, Caroline dite Caro is given vouchers to go on courses for free. Choosing computer skills, Caro meets lecturer Julien. Taking a fancy to each other right away,Caro and Julien begin an affair in the bright days.View on the film:Hitting the movie with a much-needed shot of passion, Fanny Ardant gives an excellent performance as Caro,that burns with passion towards Julien,and turns into a melancholy light when round her husband. For this May-December romance,co-writer/(with Fanny Chesnel & Marc Syrigas) director Marion Vernoux and cinematographer Nicolas Gaurin give the tale an elegant mood,with the bright,sunny outlook between Julien and Caro dimming to a light blue when Caro returns home. Attempting to light a passionate atmosphere,the writers never get the flames burning,due to keeping the backgrounds of Julien and Caro vague,which leads to there being a lack of feeling of any emotional depth in the love,as the bright days ahead fade.

I watched and did a summary of Bright Days Ahead about three years ago and recently was searching comments for other reasons. It was exciting to see people who note the title and translation, i check them all too. For Les beaux jours, i had a slightly different opinion of the title and maybe more. Most of the time the French, Italian, ... films end up with some significant action near the end. They leave you thinking. So i always watch the end closely. The risk is sometimes you see what you want to see, not always the real meaning. Myself, is i see you and i running into the ocean and having fun as "Bright Days Ahead", and that title is an accurate real meaning of the movie.Perhaps the French might be happy with "De brillants jours à venir", from google translate. My point is the people that pick the titles, in all the languages, may be most interested in what font will go on the poster well and what will sell the most tickets. For me the title Bright Days Ahead is right on!Larry!

THE GOOD DAYS (aka BRIGHT DAYS AHEAD) is another French film about that most French of genres: the well-mannered, middle-class affair. In this case she's a recently retired dentist in a coastal town, who goes to a club for retirees where she takes a computer class because she's fed up of not understanding the machines, only to fall in love with the much younger teacher, who it turns out used to visit the dentists just to watch her. Inevitably it's doomed: her husband finds out and it turns out that her new lover isn't exclusive in his affections. It's a well made and well observed drama with an excellent cast but it isn't anything that anyone who enjoys French films won't have seen before, done better.

I am a fan of Ardent and certainly of French cinema.But this film is unforgivably bland and flat.Now, OK, the French simply cannot make a film without adultery. I get it. It is apparently some French law. And usually a one with good results. But it is one of several utterly forced aspects and plot lines thrown into this slightly droll "Lifetime channel" "made-for-TV" quality film that make the entire experience seem artificial. It doesn't shock, excite, enlightening, add drama, sadness or happiness. It is just a has to be there because it is the only thing the writers could think of.The rest of the film is predictable and cliché. No usual French subtleties, simply nothing at all of interest