The Main Character’s Construction and the Critique of Capitalism in the Film Deux Jours, Une Nuit

Abstract

The economic crisis that hit Europe in 2008 had a significant impact on the industrial sector, especially among the working class. The effects of this particular crisis have been depicted in many literary works such as writings, films, and music. Thus, the present article analyzes the main character's construction and the critique of capitalism in the 2014 Belgian film titled, Deux Jours, Une Nuit. Moreover, it examines the narrative and cinematographic aspects, and then correlates them with the Marxist critique of capitalism in order to explain the main character's struggle to secure her job. According to the findings, the film not only depicts how the ethics of capitalism influence the working class, but also how they consider humans as an exploitable resource. Such issues related to the economy and society are still found today among the working class, both in Europe and around the world.