Demain on déménage (2004)

Demain on déménage is a French film comedy first released in 2004, directed by Chantal Akerman.  The film stars Sylvie Testud, Aurore Clément, Jean-Pierre Marielle, Natacha Régnier and Lucas Belvaux.  It has also been released under the title: Tomorrow We Move.  Our overall rating for this film is: good.


After the death of her father, Charlotte moves into a Parisian apartment with her mother, Catherine.  By profession, Charlotte is a writer, but her mother’s constant presence prevents her from making any progress on an erotic book she has been commissioned to write.   The two women soon arrive at the conclusion that their apartment isn’t meeting their needs, so they decide to sell.  This provides Charlotte with an opportunity to make some new acquaintances, providing some badly needed inspiration for her novel...

Demain on déménage may lack the sophistication and cohesion of Chantal Akerman’s previous film comedies, but this doesn’t prevent it from being a joyous romp – a breezy, witty and unpredictable farce which combines some thoughtful reflections on modern life with a seemingly endless barrage of absurd yet utterly hilarious comic situations.   The film stars Sylvie Testud, one of the most highly rated French actresses of her generation, renowned for her talent for playing both comedic and straight dramatic roles with a striking blend of naturalism and poetry.  Here, she heads a truly impressive cast which includes such charismatic and talented performers as Aurore Clément, Jean-Pierre Marielle and Natacha Régnier.  It’s a shame that Akerman hasn’t shown as much discipline and rigour as with many of her earlier screenplays – the narrative is something of a muddle, with just too many ideas, too many characters left underdeveloped, the result being that the film feels less substantial than it deserves to be.  However, despite this, Demain on déménage is well worth watching because of its sheer entertainment value - just what you need to brighten a gloomy winter’s evening.

© James Travers 2008

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