Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- None
- sensual
- intimate
- melancholic
- quiet evening
- arthouse date night
What critics said
Critics broadly praised Claire Denis's laser-focused direction, psychologically astute writing, and the commanding, sensual performances of Juliette Binoche and Vincent Lindon, while finding the romantic drama somewhat contrived and anticlimactic.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Sara's attachment to Jean is destabilized by the return of François, producing sustained ambivalence rather than a simple romantic choice.
The film foregrounds Sara's sensuality and sexual agency through intimate performances and naturalistic sex scenes involving middle-aged bodies.
Sara is caught between her long-time partner Jean and François, her former lover and Jean's best friend.
The cinematography gives the love triangle an unusually elegant spatial structure while probing glances, gestures, and bodily proximity.
Films like Both Sides of the Blade, and why
The Lovers on the Bridge
intimate french relationship drama centered on desire, emotional betrayal, and shifting romantic loyalties
An Affair to Remember
sensual, psychologically probing portrait of adult desire and romantic instability
The Unbearable Lightness of Being
elegant european romantic drama exploring infidelity, ambivalence, and emotional self-deception
Movie Details
- Director
- Claire Denis
- Release Date
- 2022-07-08
- Runtime
- 117 min
- Rating
- 5.7 / 10 (112)
Cast
- Juliette Binoche
- Vincent Lindon
- Grégoire Colin
- Bulle Ogier
- Issa Perica
- Alice Houri
- Mati Diop
- Bruno Podalydès
- Lola Créton
- Richard Courcet
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Philo, AMC Plus Apple TV channel, AMC+ Amazon Channel, AMC+ Roku Premium Channel, AMC+, Sundance Now
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Both Sides of the Blade about?
- A sensual, psychologically exacting French relationship drama follows Sara as renewed passion fractures the stability of her long partnership.
- What is Both Sides of the Blade like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Both Sides of the Blade as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Both Sides of the Blade violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Both Sides of the Blade.
- What did critics think of Both Sides of the Blade?
- Critics broadly praised Claire Denis's laser-focused direction, psychologically astute writing, and the commanding, sensual performances of Juliette Binoche and Vincent Lindon, while finding the romantic drama somewhat contrived and anticlimactic.
- Which films are like Both Sides of the Blade?
- Films with a similar feel include The Lovers on the Bridge, An Affair to Remember, and The Unbearable Lightness of Being.
- How long is Both Sides of the Blade?
- Both Sides of the Blade runs 117 minutes.
- Where can I watch Both Sides of the Blade?
- In United States, Both Sides of the Blade streams on Philo, AMC Plus Apple TV channel, AMC+ Amazon Channel, AMC+ Roku Premium Channel, AMC+, Sundance Now.
