Former French fashion and advertising photographer, screenwriter and director Fred Cavayé's feature film debut which he co-wrote with screenwriter Guillaume Lemans, was shot on location in Spain, France and Belgium and is a France-Spain co-production which was produced by producers Olivier Delbosc, Eric Jehelmann and Marc Missonnier. It tells the story about a middle-aged French teacher named Julian Auclert whose life is changed the day the police storms his apartment, arrests his wife named Lisa for murder and she is sentenced to twenty years in prison for a crime he is convinced she did not do. Alone with their six-year-old son named Oscar who has seen little of his father due to his work, Julian realizes that he has to turn to drastic measures in order to prevent his beloved wife from dying behind bars and initializes a plan to save her. This character-driven and plot-driven drama from the late 2000s about a French model family who becomes victims of an unmanageable conspiracy is a precisely and engagingly directed fictional tale which is notable for it's authentic and naturalistic milieu depictions and great cinematography by French cinematographer Alain Duplantier. French filmmaker Fred Cavayé's fine directorial debut which was based on an idea by screenwriter Guillaume Lemans is impelled and reinforced by it's efficient and significant narrative structure, the unpredictable plot and the prominent acting performances by French actor Vincent Lindon and German actress Diane Kruger. A fast-paced, well-written and engrossing thriller which gained a nomination for Best First Work at the César Awards in 2009.

The family man and school teacher Julien Auclert (Vincent Lindon) has his life turned upside down when his beloved wife Lisa (Diane Kruger) is arrested, accused for murdering her boss, and sent to the prison. Along three years, Julien raises their son Oscar (Lancelot Roch) alone and appeals to the court; however, the evidences against Lisa are solid – the motive, since she had and argument with her boss; her fingerprints in the murder weapon, a fire extinguisher; blood stain in her coat; and a witness that saw her leaving the parking lot - and her lawyer exhausts all the possible resources in justice. Julien believes in the innocence of his wife and interviews Henri Pasquet (Olivier Marchal), a former escapee from prison, to learn how to plan a prison break. Then he plots a scheme to release Lisaa and travel abroad with Oscar and her. However, he needs documents for the family; an escape plan; and lots of money. When Julien is informed that Lisa will be transferred to another prison within the next three days, he needs to raise a large amount and anticipate his strategy before the transference."Pour Elle" is another great French thriller, with an engaging and dramatic story. Vincent Lindon has an awesome performance in the role of a man that risks his stable life to rescue his wife, who was wrongly accused of murder, from prison.A couple of days ago (02 April 2011), my wife and I saw the American popcorn movie "The Next Three Days" and in that occasion I wrote in IMDb "a good thriller that could have been excellent with minor modifications in the screenplay". I have glanced the review of another IMDb User informing that the American movie is a remake of "Pour Elle" and I have just watched it. It is amazing the lack of creation of this former successful American industry that insists in the remake of great films."Pour Elle" is realistic, without the exaggeration of "The Next Three Days" and for me better and better. My vote is eight.Title (Brazil): "Tudo por Ela" ("Everything for Her")

STAR RATING: ***** Saturday Night **** Friday Night *** Friday Morning ** Sunday Night * Monday Morning Julien (Vincent Lindon) is a french bloke who's about to settle down to have a nice meal with his wife Lisa (Diane Kruger) and son, when the police raid his apartment and arrest Lisa on suspicion of murdering her boss. She's innocent, but too much plausible evidence is stacked against her and she looks set to spend a long time in jail for a crime she didn't commit. With everything going wrong, Julien mounts a plan to spring her from the nick and is driven to desperate lengths to see his plan through.This small, independent film first took me by surprise during the opening credits which had french writing all over them. I had been looking forward to seeing Mesrine which is one of the more well known french films to have come out lately, but this looked like a normal American sort of lesser known film, but then I see it's all in french?!? Anyway, that shouldn't be a major problem and it isn't- and this is a decent thriller with quite a high concept idea behind the storyline which is driven with some solid drama and thrilling gusto. It's a bit too unremarkable to have much of an effect beyond that, but it's nice to know our continental neighbours can carry off their own legs. ***

Julien (Vincent Lindon) is an unprepossessing French teacher, happily married to Lisa (Diane Kruger), a wife he deeply loves. Their idyllic suburban life is rudely interrupted, however, when the police shockingly crash their home and arrest Lisa on suspicion of the brutal murder of her boss. With Lisa's fingerprints on the weapon, and the victim's blood on her jacket, she is found guilty and sentenced to twenty years in prison. If you like your suspense powerful and unnerving, do not hesitate to seek out Anything For Her (Pour Elle), the debut effort of French director Fred Cavayé, an enormously entertaining thriller that delivers a high level of satisfaction.Imprisoned for a crime she probably did not commit (the director offers two possible scenarios but it is clear which one is the more likely), Lisa, still proclaiming her innocence, faces long, dark days ahead without her husband and their young son Oscar (Lancelot Roch). Overwhelmed with sadness, Julien becomes single-minded in his drive to reunite the family. After three years, when his attorney tells him that Lisa stands no chance before the Appeals Court and Lisa becomes suicidal, refusing to take her insulin shots, Julien knows that he must take matters into his own hands and will stop at nothing to accomplish his goal.Locating an ex-con who has written books about his attempts to break out of jail, Julien convinces him to tutor him on the do's and don'ts of prison escape, telling the ex-con that he wants to teach the author's experience to his students. His ultimate plan, though, is not revealed either to Lisa, Julien's parents (Liliane Rovere and Olivier Perrier), or to the audience, which serves to greatly enhance the suspense. To save the woman he loves from certain death in prison, however, Julien must transform himself from laid-back school teacher to action hero, pushing himself far beyond the limits of what is reasonable. While attempting to obtain false papers and new identities, he comes into contact with some very unpleasant local criminal types and finds himself no longer reluctant to use violence to accomplish his ends.Supported by an excellent script by the director, outstanding cinematography by Alain Duplaintier, and a moody score by Klaus Badelt, Anything For Her is entertaining, riveting, and ultimately a very moving love story. None of it would be very convincing, however, if not for the outstanding performances of Lindon and Kruger, especially Lindon whose sudden personality change requires great skill to pull off. Lindon's eyes convey powerful emotion that is not desperation but a strong and unyielding determination that serves as a catalyst for the events that build to the film's heart pounding climax. Although Anything For Her has been criticized for being "implausible", when an individual's every act is consumed with passion and overwhelming intention, then the implausible will most certainly become the expected.