Audience Member
Becomes really quite depressing in the second half, and I don't think it's handled brilliantly, but it ends on a satisfying note. The plot concerning the guy with two families is very well-executed, I could have watched a movie of just that.
Rated 3.5/5 Stars •
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
01/30/23
Full Review
Audience Member
An involving drama that manages to walk a delicate balance between melodrama and reality. The ending is wonderfully vengeful, though I can't help wondering how it would be better suited to a Japanese revenge drama than a French Canadian one (aren't they accustomed to infidelity, or am I just being racist)?
Rated 3.5/5 Stars •
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
02/22/23
Full Review
Audience Member
This French-Canadian film tells a largely depressing tale of three families, with tenuous connections, that are slowly unraveling. Michelle (Sylvie Moreau), a woman with a gambling addiction, and her out-of-control teenage daughter, Marguerite (Mylene St.-Sauveur) move in with a friend, Janine Macha Grenon), and her daughter, Gabrielle (Juliette Gosselin), son, and frequently absent husband. Conflicts ensue and finally spiral out of control, and both women find their worlds falling apart. Add in a young woman, Kate (Emily Holmes) that Janine befriends with what are finally revealed as ulterior motives and a recipe for disaster is in place. Terrific acting by all of the principles. The story wears a patina of gloom throughout, and the camera angles convey a sense of claustrophobia that emphasized that Michelle is facing ever fewer viable options. There are scenes of mild depravity as a result of her desperation that are tastefully handled. This was not a fun film to watch, by any means, but the quality of the production kept the viewer engaged. A couple of holes in the plot that may have been due to over-zealous editing, and plot twists that could be seen from a mile off detracted only slightly from the experience. The ending left one hopeful that life would go on, just not as originally configured.
Rated 4.5/5 Stars •
Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars
01/31/23
Full Review
Audience Member
<a href="http://cooltext.com"><img src="http://images.cooltext.com/1734788.png" width="419" height="48" alt="Plot Summary " /></a></a>
Every family has its secrets. Is it possible to avoid passing on to our children those traits that we despise in our parents? Michele, a divorced aerobics instructor with a gambling addiction, loses her job and seeks refuge with a childhood friend, Janine, who lives in a seemingly comfortable middle-class suburban neighborhood. Michele's rebellious teenage daughter, Marguerite, and Janine's shy and reserved daughter, Gabrielle, become friends, leading to unforeseen tensions that force both generations to reassess their values.
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<a href="http://cooltext.com"><img src="http://images.cooltext.com/1734786.png" width="318" height="48" alt="My Review " /></a></a>
<b><i>"Interested in religion now? You said it was stupid. Gaby's putting ideas in your head, I'm surprised you go for it."</b></i> A question asked by Michele to her teenage daughter Marguerite, who is pregnant and is attentive to the subject of religion while wondering if a virgin birth is real. I, too, can be surprised by that little subplot that connects between real life and a biblical reference. Other than that, I'm actually watching a family-centered drama movie from Canada: The winner of the Genie Awards and the Claude Jutra Award, <i>Familia</i> is a very good portrayal of the mother/daughter relationships with humorous and heartbreaking results. As I watched the film I was moved by the conflicts, shocked by the use of harmful material to minors (and a little sexual content), and impressed by the acting. Sylvie Moreau plays a character so irresponsible that even Janine (Macha Grenon) accuses her of being a control freak while resenting her freedom. Although I was confused by the story I can still find <i>Familia</i> technically great for viewing, even if that means listening to mostly French dialogue with a little English sprinkled into it as much of its subtitles are legible for me. I can see how the Quebecois can produce good movies of their own! :)
Rated 3.5/5 Stars •
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
02/04/23
Full Review
Audience Member
C'est un film foudroyant, car il enonce de nombreuses problematiques qui sont liees à l'eclatement des familles nucléaires. En effet, ce film evoque une certaine morale ou la dependance a l'alcool, la drogue, la prostitution sont des facteurs de decompensation relies a la qualite de vie chez les parents et les enfants. Beaucoup de scenes sont emouvantes par exemple lorsque Gabrielle se fache apres sa mere ou sinon lorsque Margerite qui a pogne les nerfs apres le docteur. Ce film énonce un portrait de la realite a la fois tres lumineux et tres sombre.
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
02/20/23
Full Review
Audience Member
Far too explicit in the opening titles and (especially) the (horrible) final sequence. They might have just let the story alone, and it could have rested on the actors' shoulders. However, "you're a slut, just like your mom" makes it worth watching.
Rated 2/5 Stars •
Rated 2 out of 5 stars
01/19/23
Full Review
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