erasing thoughts nearly twentyseven times feeling conquer review complex french drama read lips written five hundred reviews never found loss words director jacques audiards subtle yet inspirational love story thought poured loved hated film loves overpowered elements hated sparked debate within mind read lips drama precise character driven drama fuses social uncertainty crime lords doldrums everyday office work review begins crumble items moremuch much more viewer pulled instantly emmanuelle devos portrayal fragile woman named carla whose strength lost males office well hearing difficulty audiard introduces us harshly world removing sound screen whenever wearing aid causing immediate unrest characters within film watching without sound world left open possibility frighteningbr br as watch difficult unsettling woman setting life uprooted given opportunity meet paul played exquisitely vincent cassel slickedback hair mustachewearing lanky man released prison homeless jobless forced parole officer get job carla paul meet moment instant unsettling attraction one think loves him dark and gets even fun think loves her dark constant role reversal creates tone unknown who viewers feel sympathy for paul sleeps office carla helps him carla looses contract rival coworker paul helps her carlas ability read peoples lips comes handy makeshift idea paul continual jumps back forth keep chair waiting possibility light shine dark cave never does audiard cannot allow story take place continually introduces us characters one seedy next even rock solid foundation parole officer question wife goes missing subplot film first angered me upon debate staple finale film yet none could happened characters devos solemn homely look breathtaking changes image paul truth beauty discovered paul wildcard film continues seemingly use abuse friendship final endgame then assume one carla takes one last shapebr br audiard knows amazing actors capturing characters cassel devos could play cards entire time would still sitting end chair story probably weakest part film first random interwoven stories seem unconnected first audiard lets connect bit bit again entire parole officer segment tangent final scene solidified ends means attempting sound vague complex yet utterly simple story difficult explain plenty happening connect pieces favorite scene carla attempting discover money held use sound scene brilliant tense dramatic like watching whodunit mystery unfold eyesbr br overall initially though mediocre french film could easily forget proved wrong read lips opens floor discussion characters situations one find rooting carla one scene paul next discovery made pauls apartment carla found deeply angry audiard brought true emotion screen characters development lacking plot actors able carry easily suggest film anyone prepared one time viewing film repeat repeat repeatbr br grade  