Joyeux Noel

Rating: M - Contains Violence & Sex Scenes.
Duration: 115 mins.
Genre: Festival & Foreign.
Actors: Benno Furmann, Gary Lewis, Guillaume Canet, Daniel Brühl, Diane Kruger, Dany Boon.
Director: Christian Carion.
Release Date: Available Now.

Joyeux Noel is a considerably fictionised story based on a true event that happened in the middle of the bloodiest conflict the world had ever seen. As the Scottish and French regiments faced off against there German enemy in the pointless war of attrition that was trench warfare in the First World War. The men were given hope by their superiors, safe behind the frontlines that the war would be over by Christmas.

But as Christmas Eve came upon them, the men on either side realised that the war would be longer than expected as they opened their merge presents and drank or ate whatever festive fare they had.

But then a miracle happened. The Germans started to sing Silent Night, and the Scots who recognised the tune, played along on their bagpipes. Soon enough the spirit of Christmas overtook them and they gathered in no mans land and agreed on a Christmas Eve ceasefire, and traded gifts, talked, played football, before returning to their trenches.

It was a moment of pure joy for most involved, one that showed that the human spirit could transcend the ugliness of war.

The nature of trench warfare meant that most of the movie could be shot on a single set, but this doesn’t take away from the attention to detail, as the movie focuses on the everyday, forcing the viewer to realise that even in the face of extreme hardships, men will hold on to any and every piece of humanity that they can, be it an alarm clock that rings to remind you that you used to have tea with your mother at 10am, or a picture of your wife who you haven’t seen for a year.

It’s this focus on the everyday, the mundane that slows Joyeux Noel down from time to time. But it’s this same focus that give the movie it’s distinctiveness and reality that sets up the emotional roller coaster of the impromptu Christmas Eve cease fire and the consequences that follow.

And it’s not to say that the slowness of some parts of the movie will have you any less in its grip, as it’s the storyline and the personalities that attach themselves to your heart, and make you hold out for their survival.

With the movie being about three different regiments, all hailing from different countries, Joyeux Noel is a mixture of English spoken dialogue and French and German with English subtitles. This works amazingly well, and lends an air of authenticity to the whole affair.

Beautifully filmed with a subtle score, Joyeux Noel is a movie that is bound to become a Christmas classic, offering an air of hope in a time of darkness.

Food for thought:
Could you put your grievances aside for just one night and celebrate with your sworn enemy?

Rent or Buy?
Buy it; this is one movie you won’t regret watching at least once a year!