| CREDITS: Director: Cedric Klapisch Cast: Jean-Pierre Bacri, Agnes Jaoui & Jean
Pierre Daroussin France 1996 (15)
INTRODUCTION: Yet another slice of continental life, but fortunately this time round,
unlike "Marius Et Jeannete", it is one that I am much more readily able to
identify with.
SYNOPSIS: A severely dysfunctional family gathers together at "The Sleepy Dad
Caf‚" to celebrate one of their numbers birthday, but as the night wears on the
gloves come off and long held animosities and neuroses get aired.
REVIEW: A cornucopia of basic character types, we have gathered together here, the
overbearing Mother, the apple of her eye ,successful business man son, his dim but well
meaning corporate wife (the birthday girl), the underachieving brother, the rebellious
sister, the outsider boyfriend and the crippled dog. OK maybe that one's not a basic
character type, but the rest are instantly identifiable with people we all know.
It is this instant familiarity that makes this such a wonderful character study, as the
story winds its way through various catastrophes and confrontations, we sympathise with
some and are angered by others, but still love them all, because, after all, they are our
friends and family. Or is it just me?
A downbeat film, the sets are bedraggled, the locations decrepit and the cinematography
heightens the sense of tension and ill-ease with subdued lighting and the constantly
interrupting buzz of the fly killer, but given an up-beat feel, thanks to the cast, as the
hopes and dreams of the characters outshine their surroundings.
French story telling at its best, with a marvellous cast, and a touch of sly Gallic
humour.
Mutt's Rating: ****
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