Julie is a star player at an elite tennis academy. When her coach falls under investigation and is suddenly suspended, all of the club’s players are encouraged to speak up. But Julie decides to keep quiet.
Belgium’s entrant for the Oscars earlier this year, ‘Julie Keeps Quiet‘, is a quiet and cold psychological drama about a teenage tennis player caught between her suspended coach Jeremy (Laurent Caron), those who run the tennis academy and her fellow players. Set at an elite tennis academy, it follows talented player Julie (played by Tessa Van den Broeck), who is developing at a good pace and has aspirations of being a top tennis player. When she arrives for training one day to discover her coach has been suspended, she finds herself conflicted when she is encouraged to speak up after a former player who was also coached by Jeremy, has committed suicide.
As the title suggests, Julie chooses not to speak up, and much of the movie is focused firstly on her reasons for this choice, and secondly on the implications it has on her and her relationships with her fellow players. This isn’t a movie full of big moments, instead choosing to explore the psychological impact of the position Julie finds herself in with nuance, which allows us to form our own conclusions about the power dynamics at play that may be impacting on her. It cleverly draws out the emotional strain Julie feels in trying to maintain her focus on becoming a top tennis player, more difficult as she’s lost her coach, even if it is for good reason. There is little overt shown and the interactions between Julie and Jeremy are fraught with subtext, challenging the audience to form their own conclusions.
‘Julie Keeps Quiet‘ is an impressive debut feature from Leonardo Van Dijl with a compelling lead performance from Tessa Van den Broeck, and it’s no surprise to see the Dardenne Brothers as producers on the movie as this is the type of clever, thought provoking cinema they have made a career from.
Rating: 4/5
Directed By: Leonardo Van Dijl
Starring: Tessa Van den Broeck, Ruth Becquart, Koen De Bouw, Claire Bodson and Laurent Caron
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