To paraphrase my brother: this would've been great as a short.

I'm made for meandering French movies but this was a little too much of the reality effect for me. Luckily, Vicky Krieps is there, with a carabiner this time, to carry the whole thing.

When we arrive at the wind and surf of the last shot, I feel like we've already heard them throughout the movie in the waves of cars and trains that sometimes overpower the letters from home. At the same time, most of the words from the last missive are swallowed by the noise of the city and the sea as the boat is leaving, as if these letters—this form of long-distance attention, these regular reminders—will also stay behind in New York.

Every time Sandra Hüller talks to Ryan Gosling it looks like the guest star is conversing with one of the muppets.