User reviews

This movie is significant for a couple of reasons. Ursina Lardi, so impressive in Michael Haneke's 'The White Ribbon' and Cate Shortland's 'Lore' gives a truly wonderful and at times guttural performance as the wife in 'What's Between Us'. Not knowing much about it before the screening, I did suspect it would not be the conventional coming out narrative. The filmmakers and screenwriters have provided a twist so that the question of where the audience's sympathies lie & which character should one favor is the conundrum.

The film is measured and moves at its own pace; choosing when to ramp up the drama; and when to provide meaningful observations and character insight. This makes for a fascinating, but not overly melodramatic piece. As the husband, coming to terms with who he is, Dominique Jann is suitably sensitive and fragile. The early scenes with his on screen children are charming and telling. The casting of the 3 young actors to play the offspring is spot on. Three wonderfully different and unique characters who bring much heart and soul and surprising maturity to the proceedings. But the film belongs to Ursina Lardi. Her beautiful expressive face is used to great effect, but so is her body.It is, pardon the pun, a fully fleshed character portrait; testament to the actor's skill and the director's deft hand. The myriad of emotions are so naturally on display and the actress relishes the text and the sub text of the screenplay; giving the film its moral and existential centre.

Director Claudia Lorenz makes her feature debut with this as well as her co-writing credit for 'What's Between Us'. With a powerful breakthrough like this, I look forward to seeing what this Swiss storyteller brings to the world of cinema in the future.

A different kind of LGBTQ+ movie ... why that? Because it is not focused on the problems and obstacles LGBTQ+-people have to overcome but the relatives that have to deal with a new situation ... which is: Frank, a loving husband and father discovers that he is actually gay. He pretends to stay exactly that, but it is obvious that it won't work. His wife is desperate becaus she watches her life crumble before her very eyes. Their kids take it differently. The teenage son is disgusted, the slightly younger daughter is somehow understanding and the little girl just wants her father to be there for her ... even with his lover. They try and try and try, but it doesn't work. How will it turn out? ... Such a sweet character study of literally every character - which is a really rare thing. No finger pointing inflicted, just real problems addressed and no final solution given. It makes you think and wonder and marvel. What a beautiful film!

Ursina Lardi is a phenomenal actress, she portrays Alice... This story is about her husband finally following his true identity... as it goes, society often forces people to hide their true selves, and even force them to push it away. Frank has been married to Alice for 20 years... he has always had feelings for men but he admits he loved Alice and he loves the family they created... but the time came for him to not be 'sensible' anymore.... he doesn't want to follow societal rules anymore but he needs to be who he is.... Where most films with this subject tend to focus on the struggle of the man.... here we see the struggle it is for Alice.... She is literally paralysed by hurt... also the children are affected by this.... it is not easy on neither of the members of this nice family... if Frank would continue his life with his wife and children he would make Alice happy but he would sacrifice himself .... if he leaves he sacrifices Alice and will hurt her.... there's no winner either way... It is a joy to watch Ursina Lardi.... she portrays an intelligent woman who is willing to do a lot to keep her marriage together... she doesn't judge her husband for who he is but for what he is doing to her, the traumatic change he is forcefully creating.... She starts to questions everything about her marriage with Frank and wonders if her whole life with him has been a lie.... Nice, heartfelt film.