Oh my gosh… DON’T see this movie unless you have an iron stomach for such things. There is no gentle lead in, Elle opens with a gruesome and graphic season and doesn’t let up for the duration of the film. Having said that however, if you can do it; it’s fantastic. A tense, psychological thriller that leaves you absolutely breathless, Elle is billed as a cat and mouse game between a woman and the mysterious suspect who raped her. Isabelle Hupert as the lead is utterly amazing and deserves every award there is for taking on this role; sadly, I suspect she’ll mostly get passed over due to the nature of the film. As the story progresses, a grisly reveal about the lead’s childhood opens up more questions as to the nature of everything you’ve just seen. You suspect the film is following a well-worn thriller path, it’s not. After the jaw dropping twist, I literally busted out of the theater at the end desperate to talk to someone who had seen it as well. It’s really that good.