This film will be a little slow for some American tastes, and the performances, which are uniformly good, may seem a little pretentious. But this marvelous film with its solid plot and timeless themes make it a good movie. What makes it a great one is the acting of Daniel Auteuil and, to a lesser extent, Juliette Binoche.<br /><br />Many Americans are unfamiliar with the acting of the French actor, Daniel Auteuil. I have seen him in at least 20 films, in a variety of roles, and he is an accomplished actor, perhaps the most accomplished of our time. He has a difficult role in this film that requires a kind of underplaying and a certain stiffness in his performance. But he brings off his part magnificently.<br /><br />The main theme will provoke empathy and reflection in the attentive viewer. This haunting film, which really deserves at least two viewings, will stay with you and shadow your own ideas of morality and right and wrong. See it.