Film Review
Initially panned by the critics but then proving to be a popular mainstream success with cinemagoers,
Les Enfants du marais is the kind of easy-going French film which appeals to both domestic and international
film audiences. Its main charm is that it colourfully depicts a way of
life which accords with a non-French person's
idealised view of life in rural France - a way of life which certainly exists no longer and
probably never really existed in the first place.
Whilst the film is unashamedly simplistic and shows us nothing of the real hardship of living
in a marshland community in the 1930s, it is a totally charming piece and makes for a pleasant
cinematic experience. A distinguished cast of familiar faces -
André Dussollier, Jacques Villeret, Jacques Gamblin, Michel Serrault -
certainly helps to sell the film, and the performances do not disappoint,
with every character illuminating the screen as a well-rounded and believable individual. What
director Jean Becker and his amiable cast deliver is a portrayal of
friendship and camerarderie that is genuine and engaging.
Admittedly, the plot is lacking in structure, and one subplot featuring
the ex-footballer Eric Cantona as a boxer appears
like a hasty last minute addition which seems somewhat out of place.
By way of compensation, the stunning location photography gives the
film a lushness that rewards the eye and the soul.
Les Enfants du marais
is the kind of film that director Jean Becker does best, low-key comedy-dramas
that are more concerned with the relationships between a set of disparate characters
than plot. Other pleasing examples of this ilk are
Effroyables jardins (2003) and
Dialogue avec mon jardinier (2007).
© James Travers 2002
The above content is owned by filmsdefrance.com and must not be copied.
Next Jean Becker film:
Un crime au paradis (2001)
Film Synopsis
Garris, a young man scarred by his experiences of the First World War, settles in a marshland
community in Southern France. Later, he thinks of leaving the area but cannot bring himself
to abandon his friend Riton, who can barely cope with his nagging wife and three wild
children. The two men scrape an honest living by doing odd jobs and selling snails
and frogs in the nearby town. One day, they strike up a friendship with Pépé,
a retired factory owner who used to live in the marshland when he was young.
Jo Sardi, a well-known boxer, ends up in prison after a brawl with Riton. When Sardi
leaves prison, his first thought is to find Riton and kill him...
© James Travers
The above content is owned by filmsdefrance.com and must not be copied.