Le fils de Jean (2016) Reviews

• A tender and moving film

  FrenchEddieFelson2019-05-15

  I admit having a strong appetite for the filmography of the French director Philippe Lioret. His films rhyme with simplicity, altruism, empathy, benevolence and sensitivity. Nowadays, this kind of observation is unfortunately rare. Moreover, Philippe Lioret has become a label of quality. Following a call, a young Parisian dad learns of the death of his Quebec father when he did not know him, absolutely not, his mother having always hidden his identity. This trip on the other side of the Atlantic will be the opportunity to discover a step-family he did not know. And to know a little bit about himself. My favorite scenes: Mathieu and Bettina together near the painting (there is a before and an after). Mathieu, his brothers and Pierre around the lake (a disappointment up to the expectations). The near-final scene in the car (it's particularly moving: it's not my style, but I almost had tears in my eyes) As a synthesis, the movie is excellent. The casting, the dialogues and the directing are delightful.

• what's with the phones?

  passetti2016-10-06

  There is some great acting in this movie after a novel by Jean-Paul Dubois.Especially by Gabriel Arcand, who plays Jean's old friend. But it took me a while to get over the initial irritation about all the phone scenes in the first 15 minutes. Everybody is constantly making phone calls. The movie even starts with a conversation over the phone. That's pretty poor cinema, and a false start for a movie that eventually unfolds it's true story. Then things heat up and get interesting. Don't go to this movie for the camera work though. You will be disappointed. It's shot in a nondescript documentary style, almost like a TV-series. Go to Le Fils de Jean for the acting and the secret that this movie has. I also like how all the characters were put down in the story. It all feels very 'naturel', like people you could know and hang out with yourself.

• On the lake, the deep forbidden lake .

  dbdumonteil2017-09-29

  Philippe Lioret has not made a bad movie yet ;I would go as far as to write that "Toutes Nos Envies" ,"Je Vais Bien Ne T'en Fais Pas" ,"L'Equipier" "Welcome" or "Tombés Du Ciel"have placed him firmly and definitively among French finest contemporary directors .With "Le Fils De Jean " ,he's simply become my favorite contemporary French director. I still wonder why I like his movies so much : take this latest work:the story of the son/daughter who has never known his/her father and finds him again has been told,told,and TOLD.Besides ,Mathieu is divorced ,one of the clichés of the French cinema. The first fifteen minutes perplexed me.But the further acquaintance says this:another topflight Lioret movie.Every time he transcends the often melodramatic subject ,every time he makes it absorbing and endearing.Far from the feel-good fashion which mars the present French scene , his characters are made of flesh and blood, and they are In SEARCH of something : his lost son for the father in " Je Vais Bien" ,a new land for the young immigrant of " Welcome",a reason to carry on her earthly ride for the terminally-ill lawyer in "Toutes Nos Envies" .... "Le Fils De Jean" is perhaps his most complex work ,for it is a double search ; a search for a father he has never known and for two brothers he has never had for Mathieu;a mysterious search for Pierre,who ,little by little,considers the French illegal son as the son he has never had .Compared to this,the search of the dead body which might be at the bottom of a lake , is somewhat pathetic and the brothers Mathieu longs to love show themselves greedy and devoid of humanity.As for Pierre ,he is disillusioned,embittered , ill: in the first part,he is contemptuous, hostile ,as though he had a secret too hard to conceal. "What's the name of the lake?" asks Mathieu ."None ;we just call him "the lake" "like me" says the boy ,of an unknown father". The picture may puzzle the viewer -and the fact that Mathieu can estimate right away is a bit unlikely- but it inspires Lioret's disregard for money : the stethoscope who reportedly belonged to Mathieu's dad means more to him than a 80,000 dollars painting ;the same for the doctor who "has always tried not to make too much money";moreover ,it's this instrument which reveals the truth ,an admirable breathtaking sequence ,in every sense of the term.Note that when he talks to Pierre in the last sequences ,he uses "Tu" (second person singular) instead of the formal "Vous "(second person plural) Pierre Deladonchamps is a promising newcomer (who finds here a much better part than in "L'Homme Du Lac " which suffered from a poor screenplay),who discovers that his search is not necessarily the one which concerns him ;as the film progresses ,it's Gabriel Arcand who becomes the true hero of the movie; like Kad Merad in "Je Vais Bien ", this sullen character becomes more and more human and wise ,even hating traditional medicine .The thespian's performance is a tour De force ,from a disagreeable grumbler to a distraught wreck with a gaunt face. It's another damn great movie by a director who is going to be around for a long time.

• Oh my...

  jpgougouh2017-11-04

  This movie made me really angry. As I watched these pitiful actors, except for Gabriel Arcand and the two brothers, I almost break my teeth. The French is reacting like a tourist, but in the worst manner a tourist can be, he is always watching and learning, the dialogues are extremely boring and useless. This movie is one of the most less good movie I have ever seen. The actors from Quebec are talking like they would talk to a alien from another planet when they talk to the extremely useless and boring French guy, It's like they don't come from Quebec when you hear them talk, they looks like they are ashamed of the accent. The last 10 minutes are nice. But again, the French buy a toy for his son at the airport ! What a mess... 90% of the movie is worthless.

• Not for the rough and ready

  wim-vorster2019-03-23

  With sadness and distress I've read (some) of the IMDb reviews on Le Fils de Jean. However, it shouldn't be surprising as most people are prone to blockbusters and sound bytes. Although I wouldn't exactly describe this as the art of slow cinema, it nevertheless moves along with a gentle pace, portraying gentle emotions and the odd outburst or two. Primarily it's a film about relationships between parents and children, and vice versa and between siblings. Very seldomly do French films hit the viewer over the head with melodramatic confrontations and every realisation and experience rushing along like car chases. Most of the time they allow the viewer to discover the characters and have rare looks into their inner beings. Although this is not particular or peculiar to French films, a general sense of melancholy and romance are ever subtly present in French works. One reviewer in particular slates the acting. I can only presume that said person is not acquainted with the works of Ingmar Bergman, Andrei Tarkovsky, Theo Angelopoulos and most works from Europe. Even thrillers such as The Hunt (Thomas Vinterberg) are not shoved down viewers' throats with grandstanding. The great French film masters (Robert Bresson, Agnes Varda et al) also, like thorough painters, take time to uncover their characters, their stories and their situations. I won't compare Le Fils de Jean (directed by Philipe Lioret, also responsible for the wonderful Welcome starring Vincent Lindon) with any of the great masters' films, but it's a gem. Mathieu, who visits Canada to find out more about his (presumed dead) father Jean and is taken to the lake where he supposedly drowned, finds himself in a different world. Albeit all French speaking, even certain expressions and customs are foreign to him (and vice versa again). This is not operatic, melodramatic, grand scale acting. This is gently coming to grips with the soul and marrow of every character. This is real. Sincere. Supported by excellent photography, the wonderful script is brought to life by director and actors and the film is strewn with small, delicate delights. And. a big AND, not everything is explained as in Hollywood films. The viewer can come to own conclusions. Mine were certainly being moved, being transported and being touched. This is worth a few revisits.