This French-Canadian film tells a largely depressing tale of three families, with tenuous connections, that are slowly unraveling. Michelle (Sylvie Moreau), a woman with a gambling addiction, and her out-of-control teenage daughter, Marguerite (Mylene St.-Sauveur) move in with a friend, Janine Macha Grenon), and her
daughter, Gabrielle (Juliette Gosselin), son, and frequently absent husband. Conflicts ensue and finally spiral out of control, and both women find their worlds falling apart. Add in a young woman, Kate (Emily Holmes) that Janine befriends with what are finally revealed as ulterior motives and a recipe for disaster is in place. Terrific acting by all of the principles. The story wears a patina of gloom throughout, and the camera angles convey a sense of claustrophobia that emphasized that Michelle is facing ever fewer viable options. There are scenes of mild depravity as a result of her desperation that are tastefully handled. This was not a fun film to watch, by any means, but the quality of the production kept the viewer engaged. A couple of holes in the plot that may have been due to over-zealous editing, and plot twists that could be seen from a mile off detracted only slightly from the experience. The ending left one hopeful that life would go on, just not as originally configured.
May 4, 2011
Top Critic
