Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
Ariane Ascaride | ... | Marie-Claire | |
Jean-Pierre Darroussin | ... | Michel | |
Gérard Meylan | ... | Raoul | |
Grégoire Leprince-Ringuet | ... | Christophe | |
Marilyne Canto | ... | Denise | |
Anaïs Demoustier | ... | Flo | |
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Adrien Jolivet | ... | Gilles |
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Robinson Stévenin | ... | Le commissaire |
Karole Rocher | ... | La mère de Christophe | |
Julie-Marie Parmentier | ... | Agnès | |
Pierre Niney | ... | Le serveur de bar | |
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Yann Loubatière | ... | Jules |
Jean-Baptiste Fonck | ... | Martin | |
Emilie Piponnier | ... | Maryse | |
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Raphaël Hidrot | ... | Jeannot |
At a French shipyard, a trade unionist named Michel deliberately arranges to have himself on the dockworkers' randomly chosen downsizing list to spare another of his fellow workers. While he has his severance package and his friends and family's generosity to ease this sacrifice, this also gets his home invaded and robbed along with his wife and friends. Through pure luck, Michel finds out the identity of one of his assailants, a young worker who was on the same downsizing list himself, and gets him arrested. However, both Michel and his wife find that their vindictive satisfaction is soured by their realization of their assailant's motives and the larger consequences of their revenge. Struggling with their conscience, the couple finds themselves independently trying to live up to their ideals for a greater sense of justice. Written by Kenneth Chisholm (kchishol@rogers.com)
After a traumatic incident in their home, we see a trade unionist and his wife, hard-core socialists, questioning the turn their lives have taken over the years, too comfortable, too middle-class. Have we become like those rich people we used to fight? they wonder. Set in Marseilles, this story is compelling, cleverly structured, and very moving. Performances are outstanding, particularly from the two leads: Ariane Ascaride as Marie Claire and Jean Pierre Darrousin as Michel. They wonder about the choices they made, the confront their own children, and they make new choices trying to recover their lost passion for equality and class struggle. Photography is beautiful and includes several shots of the Marseille Harbour. I saw this film on Saturday 15 September 2012 at the Prince Charles in London as part of the London Labour Film Festival.