Kristen Scott Thomas's performance as the haunted Juliette is one of the most engrossing and touching I've seen in years. Her portrayal of a woman trying desperately to live with an awful secret she will not share is spellbinding.

As the movie begins, Juliette is reunited in an airport lounge with her much younger sister, Lea. We come to learn Juliette has just completed serving a 15-year prison sentence for a murder. I'll not say who was murdered, although we learn that fairly early, but the real question is "Why?" Juliette is given a room in the house where Lea and her husband live with their two small daughters. She finds a job. She gets to know Lea's circle of friends, mostly academics. She is treated kindly by her parole officer. She even meets a man who shows a romantic interest in her. She seems on a potential road back to happiness, but it is also clear from the suffering you can see on her face she doesn't feel she deserves happiness.

The question remains, "Why?"

This is the first film by writer-director Phillippe Claudel, and he crafts each scene with enormous care. Among those in the fine cast, special attention is deserved by Elsa Zylberstein, who plays the sister. Lea was too young when the murder happened to remember much about it and is now trying to get to know a big sister who is a complete stranger. Lea as a child was forbidden to ever visit Juliette in prison and even "brainwashed" to forget about her. Lea is us, the audience, wondering what we will find out about Juliette.

The secret comes out in an explosively emotional climax, with both actresses delivering volcanic performances.

I dock it a point because the revelation that comes, although providing resolution, is not entirely plausible.

I am always on the lookout for movies like this and I am not sure how it got past me when it came out two years ago. But I am glad I caught up with it.