Photo de famille

The three siblings Gabrielle (Vanessa Paradis), Elsa (Camille Cottin) and Mao (Pierre Deladonchamps) could hardly be more different: Gabrielle works as a 'living statue' and is far too unconventional for her son. Elsa struggles with her desire to have children. And the game developer Mao hasn't really settled into life yet, despite his professional success. Their separated parents have done a great job. The father (Jean-Pierre Bacri) was never there, the mother (Chantal Lauby), a psychotherapist, interfered in everything. And to this day, nothing has changed. The most normal thing is the demented grandmother. When the grandfather dies, the family is forced to come together. The old lady cannot stay alone. But how are the children and grandchildren supposed to find a solution for her when their own lives are already so chaotic...? "This constant communicative failure, which is particularly typical of close-knit family groups, develops a dynamic that is remotely reminiscent of the comedies of Noah Baumbach or Woody Allen. However, Rouaud is not primarily concerned with jokes, but with making the impact of these neuroses on relationships with other people tangible in a subtle and often laconic way. Her approach seems to be psychoanalytically underpinned; she does not guide her damaged heroes into the harbor of a conventional happy ending as they find themselves. Instead, the siblings make increasingly courageous attempts to solve their problems. And Saint-Julien turns out to be a reminder of the childhood paradise of the past. The siblings draw strength for the future by returning to it." (Birgit Roschy, at: epd-film.de)