User Reviews

On the basis that Depardieu Senior is always watchable, Sylvie Testud is one of the finest of the younger generation of French actresses and it cost only five euros I bought this DVD knowing that the movie had bombed in the salles but little else. It seems clear that Jacob Berger, himself the son of a noted writer, is attempting to work through his own hang-ups via a movie and the consensus appears to be, fine, go right ahead BUT make sure you don't forget the movie part. Alas, it wasn't to be so what we have is a mish-mosh at best. It's possible that Berger was aiming for irony in making the leading character a Nobel prize-winner but a total failure at fatherhood; the message seems to be why not aim at winning a prize for parenting and THEN think of competing for the Dynamite money. Contrary to what is on display here Guillaume Depardieu can actually act better than this, not much maybe but certainly a little, I know, because I've seen him but if this were his first film he'd probably never get another unless he financed it himself. Sylvie Testud is under used and given little to do except personify angst but as always she does it as well as it can be done. Other than that ... well, what do you want for five euros.

i was distracted by the fact that this is a real father-son team and knowing something of their real life stories, i kept looking for the genuineness of emotion i thought might be lurking - it wasn't there though.

the daughter is as stifling and neurotic as her father says she is, and as deranged as her brother who kidnaps their father is - entirely dour and sometimes totally uncomfortable film. despite the son's saying things are resolved for him (which we don't believe), if i were their father i'd want to vanish too to get away from them and from his life, which Berger shows us is shovelling horse's excrement some of the time, literally, anyway... the son's weak character must be a deterrent to any development of a relationship and his decision to drive aimlessly somewhere with his entrapped father does not have any significance, in fact, it is a failure. and who was Arthur, the dark-haired chap? why would anyone love or marry that awful daughter, if he is her husband.

but,as ever, when he is on the scene, Gerard Depardieu dominates and is so much more compelling a figure than anyone else - but i suspect at some moments in the car, etc, with his son, he decided to play it down, not only because he lacked good dialogue, but in a mistakenly generous gesture, he may not have wanted to outshine the vapid acting of his unattractive son.this even further ruins the film. a disappointing and cringe-making experience. sorry, i did not like this at all. compare it to the film "Elisa" in which Paradis plays Depardieu's angry daughter - they have an equally tricky relationship but the script is so much better and it is far more genuine and significant even if not entirely perfect. i resent having paid any money for this film at all - it is shambles and mostly the writer is to blame!