C’est quoi la vie? (1999) - film review

Nicolas lives on a farm in rural France with his father, Marc, and grandfather.  Unsure with what to do with his life, Nicolas hesitates between leaving the farm and staying to support his struggling father.  For Marc, the last straw is a notice for his herd of cattle to be destroyed because of possible BSE contamination.   After Marc kills himself, the family are forced to leave the farm.  Nicolas tries to start a new life delivering farm produce to Paris, but fails at that.  Finally, he realises that the life for him is that of a country farmer, like his father and grand-father before him.

C’est quoi la vie? is a fairly typical 1990s French social drama which centres around a young man, a farm worker, who is desperately looking for direction in his life.   Forceful performances from Eric Caravaca and Jacques Dufilho (playing respectively Nicolas and his grandfather) make this a poignant and memorable film.  Through some stunningly beautiful photography, the film conveys the heart-wrenching dilemma which the young farmer faces and constantly reminds us that the search for self-fulfilment is neither straightforward or painless.

Although this is unquestionably an attractive and engaging film, its depiction of country life is somewhat superficial, resorting too often to familiar stereotypes.  The sumptuous photography shows the beauty of the landscape but does little to convey the hardship of the life of a farm worker.  The stylised, romantic feel of C’est quoi la vie? suggests more a latter day fairy tale than a realistic portrayal of country life, but there is sufficient realism for the film to have an impact (in particular, the references to mad cow disease and the increasing unprofitability of farming).

© James Travers 2000

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