DVD Mini Review - A Few Days in September

A Few Days in September, written and directed by Santiago Amigorena, is an interesting little film. I can't understand why it didn't get a theatrical release in the States. Well, actually, after reading an interview with Juliette Binoche I can.

The story revolves around a mysterious CIA man named Elliott (Nick Nolte). But while his presence is dominant throughout the film we see very little of him in the physical. A former co-worker of his named Irene Mantano (Ms. Binoche) is trying to set up a meeting between him, his daughter Orlando (Sara Forestier) whom he abandoned many years ago and his stepson David (Tom Riley). But this isn't an easy thing to do. There are many people who are after Elliot including a poetry spinning assassin named William Pound (John Turturro) who also worked with Elliott.

The film takes place in Paris and Venice and the location photography is beautiful. Binoche is wonderful as the mysterious Irene. The young actors are fine. And Turturro adds another terrific eccentric to his long list of great roles. Nolte is a very good actor but he didn't have much screen time. I look forward to seeing what Amigorena will do next.

I will not say much about the plot. But I will say that it takes place between September 5 and 11, 2001. And Binoche claims that an agent she worked with said that what comes across in the film is very close to the truth. See this film (on DVD) and make up your own mind. I've made up mine (actually it was made up a long time ago).