There are certain qualities embedded in the films of Arnaud Desplechin that show him as a director whose films often touch on very real issues, but the one that perhaps stands out the most is his incredible ability to look at the human condition in very different ways, focusing on the trials and tribulations of ordinary people, but repurposing their lives to be entirely enthralling and fascinating, without needing to venture too far out of the realm of the unique brand of social realism he consistently brings to his films. Kings & Queen (French: Rois et reine) is a captivating drama that focuses on the intersecting stories between two individuals, with Desplechin utilizing an almost literary, stream-of-consciousness style to tell their story and find pathos in the challenges faced by two wildly different characters united not only by their previous history together but also through their fierce determination to find a way out of the circumstances they have inadvertently been forced to deal with. Dealing with a wide range of issues, such as illness (both physical and mental), family difficulties, identity and the great inevitability of death, Kings & Queen can sometimes be a difficult film to watch – but when shepherded by a filmmaker whose command of his craft was fully-evident, there’s very little doubt that this is an extraordinary experience. What could have so easily been a gaudy and overly sentimental drama about vaguely unlikable individuals instead flourishes into a breathtaking character study that transcends the boundaries of the form and says something so fundamentally impactful, we only realize the true merit of this film in the final moments of heartwrenching beauty – but not before showing us a side of humanity not often glimpsed with such starkly unforgiving but earnest sincerity.

If anything, Kings & Queen is worth watching solely for how it challenges preconceived notions and presents us with a daring, complex portrait of existence which asks the difficult questions without implying that it has any of the answers. This is not a film that strives to be all that comforting or endearing – there are moments of warmth and tenderness scattered throughout, but these exist as a means to add context to the peculiar but very affecting approach Desplechin employs for the sake of the film. The film is presented in a way that is driven less by the plot and more by what it represents – parallel storylines that converge in the middle before deviating again, Kings & Queen is a story composed of fragments of existence, but together meticulously by one of the most keen observers of human behaviour to be working in cinema at the moment. Rather than creating a film made up of two coherent storylines, Desplechin takes a more fascinating approach, providing us with a series of snapshots in the lives of the two characters, as we watch them navigate their perilous challenges while trying to remain afloat and sane above everything else. It goes in some unexpected directions, but the surprises feel remarkably fresh and invigorating, rather than being placed there for the sole purpose of twisting the narrative. The director, more than anything else, puts together a film that is willing to venture to some of the most bleak and disconcerting corners of the human mind, questioning deep issues that would be out of place in a less-daring film, but which Desplechin embraces with an authenticity that eclipses nearly every other social drama produced at this time. It’s an unavoidably unique film, one that presents the viewer with a very challenging premise at the start (and the more downbeat execution can be difficult for some), but it has such a worthwhile emotional crescendo, it becomes incredibly rewarding for anyone willing to stay with it and submerge themselves into this unique world Desplechin has created.

Where Kings & Queen tends to be the most effective comes in how Desplechin constructs these characters. He creates a pair of memorable individuals that function as two sides of the same coin – Nora is a level-headed, sophisticated woman who conceals her true emotions under a veneer of empathy and enthusiasm, while Ishmael is an eccentric man whose inner quandaries manifest as buoyant rebellion, which makes him a controversial figure for anyone who encounters him – those who are on his wavelength understand his behaviour implicitly, while those who don’t see him as a burden and choose to shut him away. Inarguably, Desplechin is able to make these characters as effective as possible by the actors he cast in the roles. Mathieu Amalric takes on the role of Ishmael with such an incredible dedication, playing all sides of his personality to the point where he momentarily loses himself in the part. He is doing so much in the role, but never feels excessive – each bewildering choice he makes is rooted without reason, finding the truth in the inherent quirks of a character whose own stability we are never quite sure of. He is either on the verge of a complete mental breakdown, or he’s the most sane individual in the entire film, someone who can see the incredulity that underpins modern society, and actively pursues it in a way that exposes its hypocrisy and inability to function without the broader metanarratives that “normal” people use as the sacrosanct rules of life. However, as terrific as Amalric is in the part, Kings & Queen truly belongs to Emmanuelle Devos, who is giving a truly revelatory performance as Nora. What she does is less of playing a part and more providing the viewer with an intimate glimpse into the mind of a complex modern woman, someone who has embraced many different roles in her life – art dealer, wife, mother and daughter – but struggles to find the ability to move beyond the individual challenges presented to her at a particular point in her life. Devos is a force of nature in the part – she’s utterly hypnotic and brings a genuine complexity to the part that easily makes this one of the finest performances of its era. She delivers a lived-in portrayal of a woman teetering on the edge of sanity with such quiet ferocity, showing restraint where it was necessary, but not neglecting to enrich the character with a kind of nuance that isn’t often seen in these kinds of roles.

As tends to be the case with films like this, Kings & Queen succeeds when it couples the exceptional performances with something more intangible, a quality that can only come from interesting characters through which a compelling story can be siphoned. In this regard, Desplechin puts together such a wildly original story about two different people facing challenges that may appear varying at first, but gradually come together in a unique but truly believable manner. Setting itself mostly in the corridors and wards of two hospitals that serve different functions, the film explores the fragilities of existence through channelling some of the more significant quandaries many of us are bound to face at some point (if we haven’t already) through these characters that may be very distinct in their traits and personalities, but still are strikingly human, with certain elements being extremely resonant in different ways. Essentially, Desplechin was making a film that works less as a solid narrative, but rather as a series of socially-charged moments that harbour a rare but poignant emotional intuitiveness, which allows it to flourish into a heartbreakingly beautiful investigation into some of the most unsettling recesses of our lives. Desplechin is implicitly aware of each choice he makes here and the ramifications, and as a result, we’re given a film that straddles poignant drama with shattering tragedy, having the elegance of the former and the fervent intensity of the latter. Authenticity emanates from every frame of this film – the performances are astounding and feel as sincere as one can possibly get (even in the most overly difficult moments, which are delivered with a poignancy not often glimpsed so vividly), and the story feels like it is genuinely trying to start a conversation, rather than putting the viewer in a passive position. We’re called to make up our own minds, not necessarily about the story at hand, but rather the themes it looks into. Perhaps the most impactful part of Kings & Queen is how honest it feels – it resonates with an earnestness that we don’t often find, and genuinely seems interested in saying something important, without moralizing or causing us to dismantle our own beliefs, but rather consider them in a slightly different light.

Undeniably an extremely dense text, Kings & Queen can be somewhat exhausting, but in a very constructive way, where the audience is witness to an overwhelming sense of emotion that never quite abates. It takes a very special filmmaker to put together a work that plunges such immense emotional depths, but never comes close to being miserable or unpleasant, but rather functions as a mesmerizing, socially-driven drama. A slow-burning meditation on some of life’s most unavoidable questions, Kings & Queen is a masterful work of contemporary drama that never deviates from its earnest, unforgettably unique premise and instead uses every opportunity to comment on the human condition in a truly genuine, but undeniably shattering, way that reminds us of the importance of cherishing every moment – with others and with ourselves, because life has a way of taking us by surprise, and there’s no way to predict what’s lurking just out of sight. A towering achievement in both form and execution, Kings & Queen is a film that tends to linger on the mind, functioning as a hauntingly beautiful drama that takes the bold step towards venturing into the most treacherous parts of the human condition, emerging unscathed but brutally eviscerated by the sheer emotion compounded on it through the director’s insistence on finding the truth in difficult circumstances. It’s a gorgeous, poetic film that doesn’t necessarily put us at ease, but rather allows these more challenging themes to fester in a very creative and impactful way, resulting in a powerful, striking drama that’s brilliance as a work of fiction is only matched by the unbridled emotions that underpin it and push it towards the incredible complexity to wears with such incredible pride, understanding the message it’s conveying without becoming too concerned with its own morals, which is a rare but incredibly effective approach that consolidates Kings & Queen as a truly unforgettable, inherently powerful piece of filmmaking.