There have been many movies tackling the difficult subject of domestic abuse. But few have offered a more comprehensive on-screen depiction of a deteriorating relationship as “Just the Two of Us”. This well-conceived and well-acted French psychological thriller begins with a romantic first encounter that blossoms into love, marriage, and children. But as insecurity gives way to possessiveness, one person’s happiness slowly and painfully turns to horror.

“Just the Two of Us” first released in France in 2023 and received a very limited theatrical release here in the States last year. But now it’s more widely available via a digital and home video release courtesy of Music Box Films. It’s directed by actor-turned-director Valérie Donzelli who works from a script she wrote with Audrey Diwan. Together they adapt Éric Reinhardt’s 2014 novel “L’Amour et les Forêts”, shrewdly adding their own strokes which gives the film a sharp modern-day resonance.

Virginie Efira stars as both Blanche and her twin sister Rose, two siblings who couldn’t be more different. Blanche is somewhat closed off and reserved while Rose is an outgoing straightshooter. But while they may be opposites, as with most twins, they are extremely close and look after each other. After some coaxing by Rose, Blanche agrees to go to a party where she meets an old acquaintance, Grégoire (Melvil Poupaud). An unexpected romance blooms and this immediately becomes Blanche’s story.

At first Grégoire is everything Blanche could want. After she discovers she’s pregnant, the two get married and have their first of two children. But we see the first cracks after Grégoire moves them away after getting transferred by his job. Blanche struggles adjusting to being so far away from her sister. But the real difficulty comes after she learns Grégoire wasn’t completely honest about his transfer. And it only gets worse after Blanche accepts a substitute teaching position at a local high school much to her husband’s chagrin..

As the story progresses, Donzelli skillfully peels back layers of Grégoire’s abuse while revealing the damaging effects through Blanche’s eyes. Grégoire’s insecurities manifest themselves through shaming, degradation, and gaslighting. Blanche’s aggravation turns to discomfort quickly which gives way to fear. And as his crushing mental cruelty intensifies, her suffocating anxiety grows unbearable. The film gets increasingly harrowing as Donzelli ratchets things up.

Much of the film’s resonance comes through the two central performances. Poupaud impresses by providing a captivating mix of charm and menace, showing the allure of affection and the perturbation of possessiveness. But truthfully it’s all about Efira who is the film’s lifeblood. She brilliantly delivers an emotionally textured performance that allows the film’s themes to fully take form. Even when the story begins to veer into genre, Efira keeps things firmly rooted in truth.

“Just the Two of Us” is a perceptive psychological drama about navigating a crumbling, abusive relationship. The final act sees the tension at its thickest before finally letting us up to breathe. It’s capped by an engaging finish that brings Blanche’s journey to a satisfying inflection point. Not everything the characters do makes sense, more specifically in the second half. But the movie’s handling of psychological abuse, isolation, and trauma is well grounded, and Efira makes it all resonate on a profoundly human level.

VERDICT – 4 STARS