Heal the Living Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		2.0
Overall		4.0

Heal the Living Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov July 17, 2017

Nominated for Golden Lion Award at the Venice Film Festival, Katell Quillevere's "Heal the Living" (2016) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of British distributors Curzon Artificial Eye. The supplemental features on the disc include an original trailer for the film and video interview with the dierctor. In French, with optional English subtitles for the main feature. Region-B "locked".

Waiting for the perfect wave

John Lennon was right. Life is what happens to us while we are busy making plans, but it truly becomes clear to us that it is so only when we realize that we are mortal. Katell Quillevere’s latest film, Heal the Living, is about that very moment when the realization occurs.

The narrative is loosely broken into three acts that bring together a group of complete strangers. In the first act a handsome teenager named Simon (Gabin Verdet) leaves his girlfriend in the early morning hours and heads to a secluded beach with his two best friends. They surf the big waves and then hit the road again. In the middle of nowhere the driver falls asleep and crashes their van. Simon suffers a very serious head injury and after multiple scans in a busy hospital a doctor confirms that he is brain dead. The doctor then contacts Simon’s parents, Marianne (Emmanuelle Seigner) and Vincent (Kool Shen), and delivers the devastating news to them. This is where the second act begins.

While Marianne and Vincent are struggling to cope with the devastating news it is revealed that they are not living together despite the fact that they have not officially divorced. When they are asked if they would allow their son’s organs to be donated, the difficult decision brings them closer again and makes them realize how big the gaps in their ‘new’ lives have been after their separation. Shortly after, they give their consent and officials from the hospital immediately initiate a complex process which ensures that the precious organs are delivered on time to the people that need them.

In the final act Claire (Anne Dorval) is informed that her condition has become so serious that the only option left to consider is a risky heart transplant surgery. She understands and agrees, but has told only one of her sons because the other will soon have to take crucial exams and she does not want to disturb him. After Claire makes a difficult trip to a prestigious concert hall to see an ex-lover give a recital, she is contacted by her doctor and told that a new heart is available and they have to arrange the surgery as soon as possible.

The film is incredibly moving and yet at the same time it feels like the drama is almost completely removed from it. This happens because Quillevere sees reality as a giant never-ending cycle of events that are too complex and ultimately impossible to rationalize.

Parts of the film also seem to suggest that perhaps life is magical because it is unpredictable and incredibly fragile, and that saving and ending a life are actually interchangeable acts. These are interesting concepts that will surely resonate differently with different viewers, but it is certainly true that the more people become aware of their mortality, the more the logic behind them begins to make sense. (The best evidence that they are legit is in the second act where the shocked parents must decide how to respond to the request from the hospital before it is too late and Simon’s organs become unusable).

Some brilliantly lensed visuals and digital effects are used to reconstruct bits of Simon’s past where he meets his girlfriend and later on the moments before the fatal crash. The appropriately dreamy soundtrack was created by Oscar winner Alexandre Desplat.

Heal the Living Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 2.39:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Katell Quillevere's Heal the Living arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Curzon/Artificial Eye.

Heal the Living was shot with the Red Epic camera and it has the clean, very smooth and solid appearance that these types of contemporary films have. In terms of depth and fluidity there really isn't anything here not to be impressed with; there are only a couple of segments with darker indoor footage where some temporary fluctuations are present, but they are part of the original cinematography, not a byproduct of poor mastering. Colors are rich, natural and solid. Image stability is outstanding. All in all, it is pretty obvious that the Blu-ray was sourced from a very strong digital master that was likely prepared soon after the official post-production ended. (Note: This is a Region-B "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-B or Region-Free player in order to access its content).

Heal the Living Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are two standard audio tracks on this Blu-ray release: French DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and French LPCM 2.0. Optional English subtitles are provided for the main feature.When turned on, they split the image frame and the black bar below it.

The film features a fully digital soundtrack and depth, clarity, and balance are quite simply superb. Dynamic intensity is unlikely to impress viewers who appreciate the extremely active and potent mixes that big-budget action films have, but viewers that value nuanced dynamics and especially well-timed and effective music themes should be very happy with the 5.1 track. It is flawless. The dialog is clean, stable, and very easy to follow.

Heal the Living Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Trailer - original trailer for Heal the Living. In French, with imposed English subtitles. (2 min).

• Interview with Katell Quillevere - in this video interview, dierctor Katell Quillevere explains how the idea for Heal the Living came to exist after she read Maylis De Kerangal's novel, and discusses some of the key themes from the novel and how they are retained in the film, the manner in which emotions are revealed and captured by the camera throughout the film, the fact that the film is not entirely faithful to the novel and specifically her desire not to have an emotionally overpowering story, the unique structure of the narrative, etc. In French, with imposed English subtitles. (15 min).

Heal the Living Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Katell Quillevere's Heal the Living is one of those rare films that can force you to temporarily step out of your 'normal' life and ponder whether you are spending the time that was given to you wisely. Life truly is precious, but few of us actually realize it before it is too late. See Heal the Living and consider adding it to your collections. It is a terrific film and Curzon Artificial Eye's Blu-ray release is a real stunner. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.