Set in 1811, the film explores the curious true story of how von Kleist, a subversive writer who was never fully appreciated in his own time, orchestrated a double suicide pact with his terminally ill friend Henriette Vogel at the age of 34. Though the film details an event that could hardly be described as a laughing matter, Hausner’s cleverly witty screenplay yields a ‘dryly amusing and ambiguously layered’ piece of cinema, which beautifully distills the absurdity of human life and love.
‘a delightful comedy of errors’
Far from just a pretty historical drama, Amour Fou gets straight to the (very bizarre) point. As von Kleist attends high-society gatherings, he casually approaches his female friends to ask whether they’d fancy kicking the bucket too: alas, most would rather live on. Until, that is, the offer is accepted by a married and feeble young woman, Henriette. Whether it is her poor health or her bubbling attraction to the passionate writer that clinches the deal is not so important in this odd little tale: it's the ‘delightful comedy of errors’ that makes this intellectually challenging rom-com a movie event worth catching.
Cinemas in London showing Amour Fou:
West: Where to see Amour Fou in West London: Ciné Lumière
The French Institute is a creative hub that hosts the best in French cinema in London as well as some hit blockbusters.
Click here for other suggestions of what’s on at the Ciné Lumière this weekend.
Central: Where to see Amour Fou in Central London: ICA
The Institute of Contemporary Arts on the Mall is one of London's true gems: with an incredible range of programming, from retrospective seasons to brand new releases, and frequent screenings of cult classics, its so much more than a cinema.
Click here for other suggestions of what’s on at the ICA this weekend.
South: Where to see Amour Fou in South London: The Curzon Victoria
Surreptitiously housed in this minimalist, glass-fronted building, the new Curzon Victoria looks more like a private member’s bar than a cinema. Stylishly lit, with spacious seats housed in intimate, comfortable screening rooms, it's a gem that's still relatively unknown.
The first 25 customers to buy a ticket or present an online booking at the cinema will receive a free DVD of Looking for Hortense starring Kristin Scott Thomas.
Click here for other suggestions of what’s on at the Curzon Victoria this weekend.
If none of our suggestions take your fancy, check out the complete listings for cinemas showing Amour Fou in London: Amour Fou film times, London
| What | Amour Fou |
| Where | Institut Français, 17 Queensberry Place , London, SW7 2DT | MAP |
| Nearest tube | South Kensington (underground) |
| When |
06 Feb 15 – 01 May 15, 6:30 PM – 12:00 AM |
| Price | £12 |
| Website | Click here to go to the Ciné Lumière to book |
