Les Nôtres

While the raw material for something twisted and operatic exists here, Leblanc is too committed to putting meters of space between herself and the material to fully absorb the viewer.

It was very well-directed, well-acted story of child victimization.

Even though we can where it's moving, that makes it all the more harrowing. It's really a terrific piece of work.

An enraging film astringent enough to peel the paint from the façade of virtue propped up by the small-town Quebecois community in which it takes place.

A coming-of-age drama noticeably lacking in a truthful adolescent perspective.

What keeps "Les Nôtres" from being effective, however, is that it rarely makes the transition from coolly observed case study to compellingly messy, resonant human drama.

A stunning and suffocating Quebecois drama, Les ntres spotlights the exquisite directorial form of filmmaker Jeanne Leblanc and the industry potential of lead actress Emilie Bierre.

While the conclusion might hinder it's entire message, Leblanc poses an intriguing premise on how small towns look upon womanhood when it's not within it's gaze of what it considers perfection.

Though at times a difficult watch it is still compelling. It is not only the story which sucks you in but the acting of Bierre and Farley. Both act the hell out of their characters and show that evil can exist even in the quiet.

Les nôtres runs on barely suppressed tension, giving the audience more information than the characters. For a narrative which could have set out to shock or turn into melodrama, it's actually fairly hushed.