The life of a self-sacrificing donkey in a provincial French town and the many hardships and abuses it must suffer, even at the hands of its initial loving though neglectful owners. Robert Bresson's Au Hasard Balthazar is a deceptively simple tale that deep down is actually complex, meditative, spiritual parable that offers more than meets the eye while telling an overarching story that touches upon the whole human experience and, in turn, sparks a wide range of emotions. The film is beautifully shot, perfectly cast, and entirely affecting.
**** out of ****
