Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
Émilie Dequenne | ... | Rosetta | |
Fabrizio Rongione | ... | Riquet | |
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Anne Yernaux | ... | The Mother |
Olivier Gourmet | ... | The Boss | |
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Bernard Marbaix | ... | The Campgrounds Manager |
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Frédéric Bodson | ... | The Head of Personnel |
Florian Delain | ... | The Boss's Son | |
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Christiane Dorval | ... | First Saleswoman |
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Mireille Bailly | ... | Second Saleswoman |
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Thomas Gollas | ... | The Mother's Boyfriend |
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Leon Michaux | ... | First Policeman (as Léon Michaux) |
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Victor Marit | ... | Second Policeman |
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Colette Regibeau | ... | Madame Riga |
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Claire Tefnin | ... | Girl in Locker Room |
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Sophia Leboutte | ... | Fired Woman |
The first scene, like almost all others, is a fighting scene. A girl, about 18, is sacked from her factory work because her trial period is over. The girl, Rosetta, is quite upset and the cops will have to arrive to get her out. She has her reasons: she lives in a caravan, with her alcoholic mother. She goes looking for work as some go to the war. Treasons, murders are in her mind, if not in her acts. Written by Gregoire Dubost <Gregoire.dubost@polytechnique.org>
I found this film quite effecting without ever straying into crass sentimentality. Rosetta is a young girl who is full of anger and yearning. She lives with a dysfunctional alcoholic mother in a caravan park. Little is given about her past but we can understand that due to her upbringing she has limited options available to her. Her desire to be find a job (any job) is both desperate and touching. For Rosetta the prospect of a job, even a job that many in middle class society (indeed the average art house cinema goer!) might regard as mundane and without prospects, represents to her a chance to escape the existence on the outskirts of society. Her drive however raises her above the mere status of victim, and it is a credit to the lead that she conveys so much of this, without it having to be spelt out.
One thing I did find a little disconcerting was the wobbly camera technique, don't see if you are feeling a little nauseous as I was however this is only a minor criticism. Its around 90 minutes and I think well worth the investment if you like a good character based movie.