Despite fine performances by Isabelle Huppert and the rest of the cast, La Vie Promise doesn't quite jell as a movie. It seems promising at first because of its relatively unsentimental view of Sylvia (Huppert); the filmmakers are not afraid to show her being so cold and hard around her daughter that you're not always sure if it's just an act to hide her vulnerability. Not surprisingly, the film reveals that there is an emotionally fragile person lurking beneath her steely surface, but the movie manages to maintain a sense of mystery about who's really hiding under her skin. Unfortunately, the film's plot isn't all that special; the movie gets bogged down in road movie clichés, and Sylvia's voyage of self-discovery seems a bit too pat at the end. Also, the movie skimps on the background for both her daughter Laurence (Maud Forget) and road buddy Joshua (Pascal Greggory), who remains an underdeveloped character. But the cinematography and performances are impressive, and Huppert is reason enough to watch this movie, although not quite enough to compensate for its flaws.