Valley of Love review – grief encounter

Isabelle Huppert and Gérard Depardieu star as the long-separated parents of a dead son who meet in Death Valley to honour his last request. Shortly before he committed suicide, Michael wrote letters to both, promising that he would reappear one last time to them. The metaphysical element of the story is less persuasive than the uneasy familiarity in the relationship that Huppert and Depardieu craft. The colour palette of bleached bone whites and brilliant blues, and the haunting music of Charles Ives add to the odd, mesmerising atmosphere.