There have been few filmmakers more dedicated to the subtle art of exploring everyday life than Mia Hansen-Løve, who has constructed an entire career out of a very specific kind of delicate, earnest social realist drama that strives for authenticity and in the process provides meaningful insights into the lives of ordinary people as they go about their daily routine, overcoming certain challenges and essentially making their way to some metaphysical destination. Her most recent effort is One Fine Morning (French: Un beau matin), in which she tells the story of Sandra, a quiet young woman who works as a translator and tour guide by day, which she balances with several domestic responsibilities, such as being a single mother to her rebellious daughter and being a part-time caretaker to her frail father, who has been diagnosed with a terminal illness that has stripped him of his livelihood, leaving him a shell of the admirable man he was before. Through all these challenges, Sandra attempts to find her voice, particularly when it comes to prioritizing her own emotional and mental well-being, which proves to be the most challenging task of them all. A gentle, heartfelt drama that is very much aligned with most of the work Hansen-Løve has done previously, and which fits in perfectly with her artistic curiosities and commitment to examining the intricate minutiae of the human condition, One Fine Morning is a fascinating film, albeit one that does have a few minor shortcomings that prevents it from rising to the tremendous heights of some of the director’s more well-rounded, meaningful films. Despite these challenges, the film proves to be a unique exploration of everyday existence, as seen through the eyes of someone trying to simply make the most out of the hand she has been dealt, all the while quietly waiting to pounce on the opportunity to elevate herself above this middle-class ennui that she finds engulfing her, which is something that many of us may find to be extraordinarily resonant, and which keeps this film from being a jumble of ideas, but rather a well-formed, tender human drama about fascinating ideas.

Hansen-Løve has crafted her career around delicate, complex depictions of the human condition, usually focusing on female protagonists as they navigate challenging circumstances, usually resulting in a process of trying to reconcile their professional responsibilities with their domestic duties, which can create an existential tug-of-war around which their entire existence revolves in some way or another. These ideas are beautifully implemented into One Fine Morning, which is a film that tackles several intriguing concepts, chiefly the experiences of a protagonist who is trying to balance various roles within her own life, realizing that there are several obstacles that she needs to overcome to achieve a consistent and comfortable life. On the surface, it seems to be quite a simple premise, and while it is relatively unfurnished and direct in its intentions, the fundamental reason why the film is much deeper is that Hansen-Løve is not interested in surface-level depictions of femininity or the role of women within society, or at least she doesn’t find value in spending too much time trying to advocate for the recognition. As far as her work is concerned, this is merely a given and she doesn’t expend too much energy on attempting to persuade audiences towards the plight of women who are attempting to juggle being both nurturers and industry professionals. Instead, she explores how someone in Sandra’s position is regularly challenged to perform at a level higher than others, precisely because she has been placed in a situation where she is forced to help herself, becoming the caretaker for everyone around her while not giving herself the attention she deserves. It’s a concept that could have been needlessly heavy-handed had it been made by someone who didn’t possess this level of awareness of the nuances required to tell such a story – and it once again proves just how tremendously gifted Hansen-Løve is when it comes to understanding the intricacies of the human condition.

As part of her continuous efforts to explore the human condition, the director usually places quite a bit of emphasis on the characterization of the major players in her story. She is firmly dedicated to crafting interesting, meaningful characters that are complex, nuanced and composed of multiple layers, which is something we find beautifully reflected throughout One Fine Morning, a very simple but effective film when it comes to investigating the trials and tribulations of its protagonist. In their first collaboration so far, the director pairs herself with Léa Seydoux, who portrays Sandra, a woman trying desperately to understand the confusing and inconsistent world that surrounds her, struggling to balance her personal and professional life and intent on being the best possible version of herself that she can be, which is only complicated by the fact that she has to balance is not only a working professional and the breadwinner for her small family, but also has to take on the role of a daughter to a terminally ill father who needs consistent care, and a daughter who has only just started her process of coming to terms with the world that surrounds her, leading to a lot of conflict between the two. Seydoux is an actor who is usually only as good as the material she is given, and One Fine Morning required a very strong, distinct vision in terms of the actor since it’s such a vaguely-composed character that depended on the actor tasked with bringing her to life. It’s impossible to say if Seydoux was the best choice – there are a few brief moments where her performance doesn’t feel as authentic or open as it would have been in the hands of a more extroverted actor, but she nonetheless puts in the required effort and delivers a lovely performance. The rest of the cast is also quite good – Pascal Greggory is the beating heart of the film, turning in a heartbreaking performance as the man desperate to hold onto what paltry strands of health he has remaining, but who rapidly slips away from his loved ones as his disease progresses. Nicole Garcia and Melvil Poupaud have mostly one-dimensional characters, but they are nonetheless still very good in the ways that we would expect, adding necessary dosages of nuance to a film that required a more complex, detailed perspective to succeed.

It’s undeniable that One Fine Morning tackles some intimidating themes – loss and grief linger heavily over the film, as do conversations around ageing, illness and the challenges of parenthood, all of which factor quite heavily into the narrative, and guide most of the story. Hansen-Løve had the task of not only crafting a film with these ideas embedded deep within their core but doing so in a way that wasn’t overwrought or melodramatic. Instead, she once again approaches challenging concepts in an almost melodic way – her work is reflective of something much more profound, which she conveys through finding the quiet beauty in the most unexpected of places since this is usually where the most poignant emotions are contained. It takes a lot of work for a film with these themes to not be utterly overwrought, but as we have seen from the director on more than one occasion, she is fully committed to the art of capturing the poetry of daily existence, amplifying the simple joys that occur in the margins, and are usually overlooked but tends to flourish into the fondest of memories. The gentle touches of humour only add further layers to this already exceptionally complex film, which contains multitudes of ideas that work in tandem to create this delicate, engaging and often quite charming portrait of a young woman navigating various challenges while still doing her best to give herself the attention to grow as a person. It may not always be to everyone’s taste, since Hansen-Løve does have a slightly more rigid, formal style that some could see as prosaic or far too restrictive, but it is ultimately the optimal way for her to explore her vision and bring these ideas to the forefront without needing to rely on cliches, almost all of which are absent from this film, which is a much more simple affair in terms of both its story and how it eventually begins to manifest on screen.

Hansen-Løve is a remarkable storyteller, and in terms of both her attention to detail and the themes she presents throughout the film, One Fine Morning is a terrific film with many merits, which we find as we gradually peel away the layers of this story and come to understand the underlying themes that propel it forward. It does retread certain themes that have been present in Hansen-Løve’s previous work, most notably being both tonally and narratively comparable to Things to Come, but this is to be expected considering how her work forms a holistic and complex depiction of the human condition, employing a kind of gentle, nuanced humour that drives the plot forward and makes it so incredibly poignant while never wavering from its steadfast commitment to exploring the daily routine of this character, to whom many of us are likely able to relate. It’s a sensitive, thoughtful drama that is exceptionally compassionate and deeply moving, examining the intricate details of modern existence through an effortlessly charming, open-hearted approach that demonstrates the director’s firm commitment to telling stories that are optimistic and motivating, but also extremely realistic in how they view life as being a series of seemingly insurmountable challenges that are gradually pieced together to form the strange but enthralling experience that is contemporary existence. Well-written and featuring a stellar cast, One Fine Morning is a delightful and motivating film that uses both humour and melancholy to get its message across, delivering a solidly crafted, genuinely complex series of ideas. A truly wonderful and engaging film that once again proves how Hansen-Løve is one of the most exciting young filmmakers working today, and someone with a firm, steadfast vision that is reflected in all of her work.