Things to Come

There's an irony in the title of this French drama, since philosophy lecturer Isabelle Huppert wonders if she actually has much of a future after back-to-back misfortunes turn her life upside down. In the wake of marital dissolution and the passing of her elderly mother, there's grief and loss, of course, but also a sense of liberation, which she's not exactly used to. With its book-lined rooms and excerpts from Huppert's classes on truth and morality, this latest slice-of-life from gifted writer/director Mia Hansen-Løve could seem a bit too clever-clogs for its own good, yet its subject matter is universal: how we find resilience and perhaps even contentment in the face of painful upheaval. The story unfolds gently, showcasing a central performance, which, in its deft shadings of vulnerability, anger and stoic self-preservation, is truly superb - even by Huppert's elevated standards. A wise and affecting look at the things that really matter with the bonus of a decidedly charismatic, truculent black moggy called Pandora.