When it comes to productions about missing children, many film buffs will probably have very different first associations. One would think of the brutal thriller Prisoners, the other of the mysterious Netflix series Dark. For me, the list is beautifully supplemented by the film adaptation of the novel “Three Days and One Life”. The insider tip strikes a truly unique balance between fear, tension, inner discord and interpersonal drama. The good thing about it: In the French version of the arte media library you can currently find “Three Days and One Life” both in the original version and in the German dub Stream completely free.
This is what “Three Days and a Life” is about
In a small village in the Belgian Ardennes, Christmas and the turn of the millennium are just around the corner. Twelve-year-old Antoine (Pablo Pauly) is excited to see what gifts he will receive. Everything suddenly changes when one day his friend, six-year-old Rémi (Léo Lévy), goes missing. Day in and day out, the police, but also the inhabitants of the small village, are busy trying to find the boy.
After a storm of the century leaves the village and the entire area in utter devastation, the investigations come to a halt and the residents must now deal with their own concerns. In the middle of all the chaos is little Antoine, who knows more about the missing person than anyone else. Over time, the wounds seem to heal little by little. Or will it just get worse?
Poetic and documentary
I want to be completely transparent. Until a few days ago I had never heard a dead word about “Three Days and One Life”. But maybe it couldn’t have been better, isn’t it the kind of surprises you crave? The special thing about the drama lies in its very different strengths of narrative, visual, temporal and causal nature.
Admittedly, the film opens in relatively typical fashion for a crime novel adaptation with the establishment of the first case. Picturesque images enchant us in the first few minutes and there is no lack of cinematic poetry throughout the film. The first surprise comes during the first third.
What happens then in the story, which is partly based on true events, I do not want to reveal here. Because precisely the ignorance about what really happened and what didn’t is one of the great strengths of the film. It must be said that “Three Days and One Life” is reminiscent of one of the best horror movies of recent times, even considering the maximum rating of 5 stars here on FILMSTARTS.
Nightmare as “Hereditary”
Even at the risk of anticipating a bit, so is the equation “Heir apparent” Imperative: There is an art to leaving the audience with an absolutely sick stomachin which French crime fiction also excels. From a certain point, the horror rises like a wave, accompanied by a lot of tension. Fortunately, director Nicolas Boukhrief knows exactly what to do with it and that is how the wave is fueled. But the next surprise is not long in coming when the storm of the century hits the village.
This is not only breathtakingly staged, but also rarely leaves intense goosebumps. The horror reaches its peak and another comparison is needed here too – with “Adam’s apples”. Both films impressively demonstrate how scary a thunderstorm can be that takes your breath away. It is precisely because of the many different facets (poetic, documentary and ultimately nightmarish images) that ‘Three Days and One Life’ is as unique as it is memorable.
Absolute timelessness
The events only take place within a few days, until at some point there is a time jump. This initial compression gives the film enough time to breathe elsewhere. It is therefore not a thriller that bombards the audience with all its facets, on the contrary. Each individual component is perfectly matched and perfectly complements the rest.
One last comparison is needed, then it’s over. “The Hunt” with Mads Mikkelsen will certainly no longer be an insider tip for many. Here, too, some parallels can be drawn. How does a small village treat each other? This is a question that also plays in the audience and is masterfully tackled by both films. “Three Days and One Life” paints a fairly realistic picture of the world with despair, sadness, fear and inner turmoil.
“Three Days and One Life” can be described as many things: an equally recognizable and unbearable psychological thriller. Bittersweet drama about a paralyzed toddler. A home movie that could probably also take place in the next town (God forbid). A successful crime film in which the settlement of the case hangs by a thread. A visually stunning film about simple village life. A sensitive portrait of consequences. An even more sensitive depiction of a parent-child relationship that couldn’t be better captured in terms of subtlety. An intense horror movie.
Ergo: Just a real movie gem that works great on so many different levels.