Review: ‘Moscow, Belgium’

Watching ‘Moscow, Belgium’ got me to thinking about foreign films, specifically those from the European region of filmmaking. I realized I hadn’t seen many lately and I’d almost forgotten about how well the European filmmakers often understand the language of the cinema.

What I mean is, this movie, directed by Christophe Van Rompaey, is such a well-made movie that prefects that unique style of charming European cinema. It amazes me at times how European films often master the art of dialogue so well whereas in American cinema it seems too often a goal that we must struggle to achieve.

The story follows Matty (Barbara Sarafian), a 41-year old mother of three who is struggling to keep it together from day to day while her artist/teacher husband Werner (Johan Heldenbergh) is away having a mid-life crisis with a much younger student of his.Matty finds herself feeling fed up with waiting for Werner, which leads her on a path of rediscovered happiness with a 29-year old truck driver.

The task of caring for three children and working a full-time job all by herself is taking a toll on her ability to be happy and maintain a healthy mental state as her nerves begin to fizzle. At the beginning of the film, Matty has an accident with a truck driver named Johnny (Jurgen Delnaet) in the parking lot of a grocery store, sending her near the edge of losing it. Matty and Johnny get into a heated argument over the accident before the cops arrive and settle the situation, but Johnny experiences a sudden change of heart just before Matty leaves which becomes the central catalyst for the story.

‘Moscow, Belgium’ is a wonderful love story that is romantic and beautiful in it’s realism and portrayal of real characters with real issues in the real world. The movie doesn’t get lost frolicking in the make-believe world of the typical romantic comedy. I wouldn’t even really call this a comedy aside from it having some genuinely humorous human moments. The relationship that develops between Matty and Johnny is bumpy and is constantly challenged by Werner’s attempts to win Matty back, but ultimately survives as an example of a love that seems so natural to Matty that she may be willing to risk everything to give it a chance.

The cinematography falls into that wonderful category of cinema verite, which seems to be making a comeback in motion pictures. With that said, the movie still captures a delightful palette of colors and benefits from the imperfect charm of the town in which it was filmed. Barbara Sarafian gives a remarkable performance as Matty and sells the internal emotional and psychological battle she is waging with herself over deciding between Johnny and Werner. I’m making an early call and placing her on my personal list of top performances for 2009.

‘Moscow, Belgium’ [Not Rated] opens today in Saint Louis and is playing at the Tivoli Theatre.

[Overall: 4.5 stars out of 5]