Looked good from a trailer so went in on that premise and it delivered.

Nothing to outside of the realm of a gritty genre film. Recently released convict works for place to stay. Hotel owners kid befriends convict. Convict becomes her protector. Reminded me of a few films...and that's where the "formulaic" came into play.

It is worth a watch, mild complaints aside. It's a simple premise and storyline. Acting and cinematography hold their own.

6.5/10

Good is good, this movie full of humanity. He's in prison before but not a devil. Everyone should deserves a 2nd chance. The movie just execute nicely for the story telling side. The characters have a unique charm.

..and I 'm NOT associated with it. I said this in my title because some sad attitude person, who can't see past his/her own ego, thinks that all of us who gave/give this film the thumbs up must be somehow involved with the studio, the makers and producers etc. According to them me, we, 'you, the people', are not allowed to just like something because its good if they don't like it! Must be a Trump supporter....NAH! They're just a complete selfish dipstick! The ATTRACTION: Nothing...Zilch, Nada, Zero! The promotional bandwagon for this film is very lacklustre and gives nothing of interest whatsoever to tempt you into remotely ever wanting to view this production. So why I decided to possibly throw away a non-refundable 85 minutes of my life I do not know at all. But I am glad that I did and I'm pretty sure it had something to do with the plethora of films that were hyping themselves to the max and promising to be Oscar worthy classics, and failed totally and miserably. It kicked me back into my lifetime mind-frame of making my own mind up about a film (which for me, as a film buff, at my time of life is a list of many thousands of silver screen viewings). Film reviews these days don't help much, especially from so called pro's who get paid for doing it, and some reviewers here at IMDb who just drone on, and on, and on (yawn) but don't give any useful/relevant facts.

So without any other ado, lets give you a short synopsis as to whether this film has any must watch points!

THE STORYLINE: A Bluebird in My Heart, a film directed by Jérémie Guez, tells the story of the ex-prisoner Danny (Roland Møller),who after a period in prison, gets to serve the time remaining under house arrest with an electronic anklet. Danny just wants to lead a peaceful life from now on and finds a quiet hotel run by Laurence (Veerle Baetens); who has a husband who is currently in prison (but is seen at the close of the film meeting with his daughter, Clare, in the restaurant that Danny worked at).

Here Danny establishes a strong bond with the Laurence woman's daughter, Clara (Lola Le Lann) who has a very rebellious soul. She sees him as a man who, as an ex con, may be able to provide her with information she seeks; about not being able to see her father in prison. Danny on the other hand would prefer that she left him alone and thus tries to remain detached but, its not to be the case.

Danny (except for having a rude and uncaring pompous probation officer) seems to have found some peace and tranquillity now that he is out of prison, including a quiet solo job as a kitchen dishwasher. However! his inner peace is shattered when Clara is attacked and raped by a drug dealer she knows. Something awakens in Danny and a later twist of fate causes a chain of negative events to happen that changes his life permanently!

THE ACTORS: In a very Film Noir setting at times and an expectation of a Frank Miller, 'Sin City' outburst, that never came, everybody does a bang up job. The only bad things in the film were... 1) the shower scene was/is totally unnecessary and adds nothing to the way the film unfurled or was unfurling... 2) the disgustingly filthy kitchen in the restaurant he just ate in...which will make you want to puke and, he now has to clean. Health & Safety department obviously taking backhanders...such is life and human garbage. Danny, Laurence and her daughter Clare, the female restaurant manager and the homeless man. All had simple undramatic lines to put over and they do it so very matter of factly and blandly that, it is a very, very real everyday real life deliverance thus it makes the entire film engrossing. The homeless mans has a non speaking role and yet he does well with facial expressionism; something Chinese, Japanese, South Korean, Thai and countless other Asian actors/actresses always do superbly and always have done; but its something western Thespians on the whole are incapable of.

Its not an action film and its not overly violent because the camera never shows you the bloody action or results of such said actions. No flashy anything blah...blah...Blah! It is just simple film making with unknown actors who play their lines fantastic. Its that thing of very luckily having the right people brought together, at the right time to do a job. Its just nice to sit back and watch a calm film in a calmly manner that at the end it gives you that feeling of glowing/happiness/excitement.

Make your own minds up peeps. Me? Well I'm off to play a video game where I save the planet, the universe and shoot lots and lots of bad dudes, terrorists etc in a WW2 Zombie infested Call of HALO scenario...and yet I still don't get the girl lol, lmao