Rust and Bone

Stéphanie trains killer whales at Marineland in Antibes until an accident takes both her legs. What develops with Ali, an unemployed former fighter, is neither rescue nor romance. It is two people using each other to stay upright. Jacques Audiard adapted it from Craig Davidson's 2005 story collection, specifically Rust and Bone and Rocket Ride. Marion Cotillard took swimming lessons and spent a week at Marineland. For the amputation, the French company Mikros Image did the work: Cotillard wore green knee-length socks and her legs were digitally removed or replaced with prosthetics. It competed at Cannes in 2012 and drew a ten-minute standing ovation. Rotten Tomatoes sits at 82 percent. It sold nearly two million tickets in France and grossed 25.8 million dollars worldwide, winning four César Awards including Most Promising Actor for Matthias Schoenaerts. Who it is for: viewers who like French drama that is harsh and emotional at once. Who it is not for: anyone who will feel the film never properly reckons with Ali's brutality and neglect. That objection is common and the film does not quite close it.