Watch Anything for Her For Free

Overrated

It's entirely possible that sending the audience out feeling lousy was intentional

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

ANYTHING FOR HER is another riveting French thriller that outplays Hollywood at their own game. It's a tight, focused, and compelling narrative that follows the misadventures of a man whose wife is sent to prison for a crime she didn't commit. With no chance of her early release, the guy sets about on a crazy plan: to free his wife from prison and flee the country, so that they can begin a new life abroad.This is a great little movie and the only thing I disliked about it was that it could have used a little more breakneck action (director Fred Cavaye would perfect the genre with his next film, POINT BLANK). But the slow first hour works really well in building up sympathetic, realistic characters who you want to see come through no matter what. What really works as well is the focus of the script, which is on the central conceit throughout: there are no dumb sub-plots here, no extraneous stuff, just lean and pared-down filmmaking.The performances are excellent, particularly from the gruff but likable Vincent Lindon, who was a newcomer to me. It's good to see Diane Kruger display some acting chops below the superficial beauty too. But the real winner here is writer/director Cavaye, who's crafted one of the tautest movies of recent years.

TOUT POUR ELLE (Anything for Her) was the original story and film from which THE NEXT THREE DAYS was adapted. In many ways this film is at least as strong as the Paul Haggis version with Russell Crowe. Here the credits are due to the imagination of writers Fred Cavayé and Guillaume Lemans and directed by Fred Cavayé. It is a very fine character driven thriller that while it may appear incredible to most, it is nonetheless an involving story of a man's love and commitment to his wife. Julien (an impressive Vincent Lindon) is a schoolteacher who has a happy home life with his beautiful wife Lisa (Diane Kruger) and son Oscar (Lancelot Roch). During a quiet evening at home they are disturbed by policemen who arrest Lisa for a murder she claims she did not commit. Jump three years and Julien has been working with lawyers, spending their paltry savings, on getting appeals to get Lisa released from jail. He gets moral support from his parents (Liliane Rovère and Olivier Perrier) but sees his family falling apart. After three years have passed and when all legal portals fail, Lisa attempts suicide and Julien decides the only way to get Lisa out of prison is to aid in her escape. He visits writer Henri Pasquet (Olivier Marchal) who has escaped from prison several times and outlines the dangers AND the only secure methods for affecting a prison escape. John slowly and methodically prepares for the escape, gaining money by contacting drug lord Mouss (Alaa Safi), commits some crimes of his own as he masterminds his plan to successfully extract Lisa from prison. There are many twists and turns to the story, well written subplots and unexpected coincidences, all populated with a very strong cast of capable actors. It is a tense little French film that may not have the better known cast of its later American successor, but it works on a very different level and is a solid psychological thriller. Grady Harp

So, what would YOU do if your spouse is convicted on a murder charge and sentenced to 20 years in jail? The film explores to what lengths someone might go, and it takes the viewer on a journey that is anything but expected. And it does it in convincing style and fashion and has you glued to your seat from beginning to end.OK, Julien enters a world that makes him do things that we should by rights not find acceptable. And yet, one can do nothing but root for him to succeed, regardless of his methods.I absolutely loved the power and speed of this film. It's action-packed, but also has a lot of depth.A superb thriller throughout!

Very well made French movie. I saw yesterday the American version (copy) at the cinema and I was excited about it. But I was very deceived to find out later that it's a COPY-PASTE with insignificant adds of the not so known: POUR ELLE (For her) - 2008 !!!!! The movie actually is well rated but not that known. I bet that everyone found out about Pour Elle after seeing or searching informations about: The next 3 days. Unfortunately the French movie didn't have much publicity and the success went to the American movie because of the famous actors like Russell Crowe and Elisabeth Banks. No offense Mr. Crowe and Mrs. Banks. You are my favorites anyway. I recommend everyone to watch this this movie first. Worth seeing.