I have always been a lover of musical theatrical productions. In Annette, Leos Carax directs a musical that is an auteur masterpiece. It is truly a spectacle to behold—a musical and cinematic experience like no other. It is breathtaking in its cinematography, and its beauty and plot will take viewers through a range of emotions.

Annette opened the Cannes Film Festival this year. It is about a stand-up comedian named Henry, played by Adam Driver, who falls for opera singer Anne, played by Marion Cotillard. They are in the public spotlight because of their high profile careers, and soon their daughter Annette comes along. The couple quickly realizes that there is something very unique about Annette, but her birth also drastically changes the chemistry between Henry and Anne. The dramatic changes in their lives are emphasized through song, and the director’s use of transitions between scenes.

Although Annette focuses on the many struggles between Henry and Anne, there was a still a light that shines throughout the film. The emotional impact of the film comes from the unpredictable problems that arise between the couple, shown first through the eyes of Henry and Anne, and then through Annette. Driver and Cotillard both deliver masterpiece performances in Annette, and it is a brilliant tearjerker.

Annette is truly a poetic achievement. At its core it is about soul-searching. It is an emotionally intriguing journey through the lives of a father, a mother, and their daughter, that will take your breath away. It is a journey for the ages. Four stars for Annette.