There's a lot going on here and, I suspect, many allusions to societal pressures and feelings of belonging that I may have missed. What follows therefore is just my take, but could be way off...
All of the performances are great but Huppert anchors the thing very convincingly. At one level, for me this has echoes of the "empty nest syndrome": she (and husband) have fought hard to create a safe space for the family and a real sense of cohesion, despite the very different characters of each member, as evidenced by the casual intimacy of their interactions and regular bursts of play.
However, internal and external pressures are about to blow everything apart, and she doesn't want to accept that. After the departure of the oldest girl and a brief attempt to escape with the rest of the children, followed by a more concerted effort to hide the outside world, the husband eventually plots a way out that will preserve the remaining family by just "freezing the action" in the most dramatic way possible.
Whether the wife/mother had pre-existing mental health issues or not, I think he realises that he's not going to get her back, so orchestrates a way out. I understand that, following an unwelcome divorce or separation, "suicide pact" exit routes (orchestrated by the man) are not uncommon, and this could be seen to echo that?
Thought-provoking, and highly recommended.
All of the performances are great but Huppert anchors the thing very convincingly. At one level, for me this has echoes of the "empty nest syndrome": she (and husband) have fought hard to create a safe space for the family and a real sense of cohesion, despite the very different characters of each member, as evidenced by the casual intimacy of their interactions and regular bursts of play.
However, internal and external pressures are about to blow everything apart, and she doesn't want to accept that. After the departure of the oldest girl and a brief attempt to escape with the rest of the children, followed by a more concerted effort to hide the outside world, the husband eventually plots a way out that will preserve the remaining family by just "freezing the action" in the most dramatic way possible.
Whether the wife/mother had pre-existing mental health issues or not, I think he realises that he's not going to get her back, so orchestrates a way out. I understand that, following an unwelcome divorce or separation, "suicide pact" exit routes (orchestrated by the man) are not uncommon, and this could be seen to echo that?
Thought-provoking, and highly recommended.