David O'ConnellFamily Hero
August 7th 2008 04:26
The French are prone to making fluffy, lightweight dramas that sadly provide too large a percentage of their films reaching our shores these days. Family Hero (2006) however, a multi-layered ensemble drama from director Thierry Klifa, proves to be a cut above most of its opposition with a little bit of everything thrown into the mix. It boasts a superb cast and a screenplay by Christopher Thompson that manages to give depth and conviction to a whole host of characters which is no mean feat within the 95 minute running time.
We’re in Nice with Gabriel (Claude Brasseur) the elderly owner of the Blue Parrot, a cabaret night club which has been his life’s work; he's also a cross-dressing performer on occasion in his own club! Although none of his friends know it he’s quite ill and takes his own life one night after leaving the club early in the safe hands of his surrogate son Nicky (Gerard Lanvin) who’s been with him since he came in looking for a job as a young boy; he also has a regular act - as a magician - and once had a TV show of his own but his fame has withered away to nothing now.
Nicky’s family have become like a surrogate family for Gabriel as well over the years, including his two children Nino (Michael Cohen) and Marianne (Geraldine Pailhas) who, to Nicky’s dismay, the club is handed over to during the reading of Gabriel’s will even though they have long drifted away to independent lives in Paris.
Then there are the two different mothers of Marianne and Nino – Simone (Miou-Miou), and Alice (Catherine Deneuve) respectively, and a younger singer Lea (Emmanuelle Beart) who the lonely Nicky has an eye on and begins an uncertain relationship with.
After assessing the financial state of the club in the wake of Gabriel’s death the burden falls to his two god-children to decide whether it’s still viable or whether its days are numbered, thus ending the lifelong work of one man who was a hero and father-figure to so many.
Can they put sentiment aside and make the heartbreaking decision to close The Blue Parrot’s doors or will other factors come into play and sway them towards finding reasons to sustain its life?
The skill with which Klifa arranges all these interconnected lives with vignettes, some funny, some sentimental, and some otherworldly (as when the deceased Gabriel 'visits' Nicky with pointed advice) is a credit to him and the strength of the screenplay. Their interactions as they struggle with their own demons and shortcomings, whilst also pondering the meaning of The Blue Parrot and whether it should live on, despite its failing, jaded allure, are believable and sympathetic.
There are no bad guys here – despite their weaknesses we have a reason to empathise with them all to some degree and Klifa’s drama ends up being one with a very humanistic slant and a fine film. It’s currently showing on World Movies and is well worth your time.
We’re in Nice with Gabriel (Claude Brasseur) the elderly owner of the Blue Parrot, a cabaret night club which has been his life’s work; he's also a cross-dressing performer on occasion in his own club! Although none of his friends know it he’s quite ill and takes his own life one night after leaving the club early in the safe hands of his surrogate son Nicky (Gerard Lanvin) who’s been with him since he came in looking for a job as a young boy; he also has a regular act - as a magician - and once had a TV show of his own but his fame has withered away to nothing now.
Nicky’s family have become like a surrogate family for Gabriel as well over the years, including his two children Nino (Michael Cohen) and Marianne (Geraldine Pailhas) who, to Nicky’s dismay, the club is handed over to during the reading of Gabriel’s will even though they have long drifted away to independent lives in Paris.
Then there are the two different mothers of Marianne and Nino – Simone (Miou-Miou), and Alice (Catherine Deneuve) respectively, and a younger singer Lea (Emmanuelle Beart) who the lonely Nicky has an eye on and begins an uncertain relationship with.
After assessing the financial state of the club in the wake of Gabriel’s death the burden falls to his two god-children to decide whether it’s still viable or whether its days are numbered, thus ending the lifelong work of one man who was a hero and father-figure to so many.
Nicky with one of his old flames Alice (Catherine Deneuve)
Can they put sentiment aside and make the heartbreaking decision to close The Blue Parrot’s doors or will other factors come into play and sway them towards finding reasons to sustain its life?
The skill with which Klifa arranges all these interconnected lives with vignettes, some funny, some sentimental, and some otherworldly (as when the deceased Gabriel 'visits' Nicky with pointed advice) is a credit to him and the strength of the screenplay. Their interactions as they struggle with their own demons and shortcomings, whilst also pondering the meaning of The Blue Parrot and whether it should live on, despite its failing, jaded allure, are believable and sympathetic.
There are no bad guys here – despite their weaknesses we have a reason to empathise with them all to some degree and Klifa’s drama ends up being one with a very humanistic slant and a fine film. It’s currently showing on World Movies and is well worth your time.
Nicky with the patriarchal Gabriel
The beautiful Geraldine Pailhas as Nicky's daughter Marianne
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