Couple in a Hole

A tragic story set in the French/Swiss Alps, about a distressed couple seeking refuge from grief. They "hole" up in the forest and avoid contact with the outside world, attempting to overcome their pain and mourn in solitude. Survival is about foraging and hunting, living off the land.

The acting from Kate Dickie and Paul Higgins as the couple is top notch, showing real emotive zeal without the pretentious overacting some actors often portray. It is thoroughly believable, in spite of the gorgeously shot film itself.

There are some of life's harder questions like how do partners deal with loss? Couples can't always manage equally, despite the equal loss. And this film magnifies the question right up until it's ending. It's not uplifting, but it's all the better for its melancholy. By which time you'll likely agree, that this a gorgeously shot film. The utilisation of the environment is spot on, and the landscapes give you a great sense of solitude, reflection and slower pace...which is likely what the director was after.

7/10 for me with high marks for the direction, shooting and acting.