The Son (2002)

A joinery instructor at a rehab center refuses to take a new teen as his apprentice, but then begins to follow the boy through the hallways and streets.

Directors:

Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Luc Dardenne

Writers:

Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Luc Dardenne

Stars:

Olivier Gourmet, Morgan Marinne, Isabella Soupart

10 wins & 12 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Olivier Gourmet	...	Olivier
Morgan Marinne	...	Francis
Isabella Soupart	...	Magali
Nassim Hassaïni	...	Omar
Kevin Leroy	...	Raoul
Félicien Pitsaer	...	Steve
Rémy Renaud	...	Philippo (as Remy Renaud)
Annette Closset	...	La Directrice du Centre
Fabian Marnette	...	Rino
Pierre Nisse	...	Apprenti Soudeur 1
Stephan Barbason	...	Apprenti Soudeur 2
David Manna	...	Apprenti Soudeur 3
Abdellah Amarjouf	...	Apprenti Soudeur 4
Jimmy Deloof	...	Dany
Anne Gerard	...	La Mère de Dany (as Gérard Anne)

Storyline

Olivier - meticulous, careful, even-handed - teaches carpentry at a vocational school in Liège. He's asked to take on Francis, 16, a new student. He declines the request then begins to watch, even spy on, the new lad. Olivier knows something. Later that day, he's visited by Magali, his ex-wife, who tells him that she's remarrying and is pregnant. Olivier seems to follow instinctive responses: "why today?" he demands of Magali; he continues to follow Francis; he changes his mind about enrolling the youth. What's the history between the two? After that becomes clear, what is it Olivier will do? Is this precise and measured carpenter in control of himself?

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Plot Keywords:

apprentice | class | classroom | work | workshop | 

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Taglines:

Guldpalmen for bedste mandlige skuespiller 2002 [Denmark]

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Genres:

Drama | Mystery

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Did You Know?

Trivia

Chosen by "Telerama" (France) as one of the 10 best pictures of 2002 (#03).

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Quotes

Olivier: The boy that you killed was my son.

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Connections

Featured in At the Movies: The Best Films of 2003 (2004)

User Reviews

Do you still want to be a carpenter?

The directors of 'The Son', brothers Jeane-Pierre and Luc Dardenne, are together experienced documentarians. This is made explicitly clear in the film's style, which affords the camera the rare opportunity in modern cinema to see rather than show. The difference is immense. Renoir, Ozu and Rossellini understood the difference, and now the Dardennes can be added to that illustrious list.

The Dardenne brothers are masters of exploding the minutiae of everyday life to beautiful, poetic proportions. Their films are largely concerned with observing people at work (see also Rosetta and La Promesse), obsessively detailing the intricate structures and routines of the mundane, the everyday. Hitchcock famously described film as life with the boring bits removed; a Dardenne film is life with the boring bits dissected, investigated and ultimately celebrated.

The film is about all the sons - the sons that were, the sons that are and the sons that will be - and all should see it.

Details

Official Sites:

Diaphana [France]

Country:

Belgium France

Language:

French

Release Date:

9 October 2002 (Belgium)

Also Known As:

El hijo

Filming Locations:

Liège, Wallonia, Belgium

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$10,048, 12 January 2003

Gross USA:

$70,262

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$1,057,439

Company Credits

Production Co:

Archipel 35, Les Films du Fleuve, Radio Télévision Belge Francophone (RTBF)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

99 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1