Private Property

Huppert is inspired in the way she withdraws from confrontations and expresses her wishes enough to provoke others but never enough to realize them. An emotional balancing act showing such weakness takes a strong actress to pull it off.

It's a nature study of the dysfunctional family unit in its native habitat and Lafosse's camera captures every behavioral nuance with cold clarity.

... stays at slow boil until the last few minutes, when the tensions finally erupt. The whole might have ended up boring, were it not for the excellent performances Lafosse coaxes from his actors ...

LaFosse shoots in long static takes, letting actors move in and out of frame, to heighten the claustrophobia of characters who are metaphorically pounding the walls trying to break free.