Sometimes, a remarkable person comes into your life and unexpectedly, irrevocably changes your perspective on the world. The same could be said of All of a Sudden, a moving drama about the bond that develops between two women who quickly realise they have a spiritual connection.
In Paris, Marie-Lou (Virginie Efira) is the director of a private care facility for the elderly, determined to sell her employees on the principles of Humanitude, a care method which emphasises treating residents with dignity, despite the severe cognitive disorders affecting them. But she faces pushback from both the administration, and her diligent but overworked staff.
Frustrated and burned out, Marie-Lou then runs into Mari (Tao Okamoto), a Japanese experimental theatre director who invites Marie-Lou to see her play. To Marie-Lou’s astonishment, the provocative work speaks directly to her wish to make the impossible possible, inspiring her to talk to Mari after the show, their evening extending until the early morning as they get to know one another.
Japanese director Ryusuke Hamaguchi crafts a platonic love story filled with riveting conversation, all in service of examining the eternal desire to find purpose in an often senseless society.
