August 1914. While the German army is gaining ground in the North of France, four boys aged 10 to 15, Lucien, Lucas, Luigi and Ludwig are left behind during the evacuation of their orphanage, but they realize that must not be prepared to flee. The characters are: Ludwig (Leonard Fauquet) is a timid intellectual and an avid reader of Jules Verne's novels - especially the one his mother left him with as a parting gift; he soon gets the support of Francois Damiens, in a serious role as the Abbot, and a schoolmaster who is then forced to leave for the front. Lucas (Tom Castaing) is hardly out of nappies when he finds himself far away from home. Luigi (Mathys Gros) is the strongest boy, and pre-teen Lucien (Loup Picard) will soon discover the tender pleasures of first love when Luce ( Labeaut) appears on the scene, as the only young girl who's separated from her parents. Along the way, they meet a feisty farmer's wife (Isabelle Carre) who gradually takes on the role of the boy's matron. Soon joined by other roles, they decide to reach the neutral country of Switzerland by all means possible. At first it seems like a not too difficult path, but then the journey becomes bumpy and ends abruptly. Getting away the village, the boys run into a German soldier called Hans who has defected from the army and hopes to join his wife back home. Hans befriends the boys and teaches them German. But dark clouds soon loom when Hans (Schiltz) tries to take them all across the border to safety in Switzerland. They embark on an adventure for which nothing has prepared them, while some good people help them achieve the desired freedom.
In Yann Samuell's well-paced drama there's an interesting studio character, this is a passionate and emotional film dealing with for boys are left behind during the evacuation of their orphanage and then the 'Boches' (Germans) appear with consequent turmoil, confusion and danger. The journey becomes increasingly dangerous and exhausting, forcing them to depend on other escaped people.
Filmed in studio Babelsberg with some splendid visuals thanks to cameraman Vincent Gallot and stunningly shot on location in Bois-l'Évêque, Seine-Maritime, Guise, Aisne, Saint-Michel, Aisne, Sissonne, Aisne, Ors, Nord, France. And driven forward by Mathieu Lamboley's terrific original soundtrack. There are some notable interpretations from a cast so young, particularly Didier Fauquet as Ludwig, and adults as the nutty wife Isabelle Carré and Luc Schiltz as brave German Hans . La Guerre des Lulus, is a wonderfully impressive movie that navigates some dramatic highs and lows. Samuell shows how kids, unlike adults, can often often trust and connect across barriers, untainted by prejudice or dogma. And that some adults: here a teacher, a soldier, a mother, and a maverick, can really inspire young people to greatness by mentoring and supportive companionship.
Family films certainly have the task of preparing serious and stressful themes in such a way that children and young people do not suffer any psychological damage, but this "War of the Lulus" (2022) sometimes almost feels like a crazy comedy for children. However, the threat and seriousness of a situation can still be conveyed, something that is done even in children's series. Small actors make a decisive contribution to the feel-good factor suitable for the mainstream. The kiddies resort to very childish interpretive means that fit them like a glove. With their ingenuity, precocious charm, sympathy, and stubborn daydreaming, the children achieve a comedic screen presence that shines even brighter in contrast to the harsh realism of the war environment.
Resulting to be a sensitive and adventure film about a group of kids who flee through France, to Switzerland. Of course, such a delicate and childish approach to the sexes is always nice to see, but even here there are exaggerations in some scenes , that's why the children seem to have fun, at times, which gives the whole thing a kind of country holiday atmosphere, however we are dealing with much more serious things.
Jokes, fantasies, diversion, and funny sayings among children are followed by drama, pursuit, or danger, and vice versa, changing rapidly and in constant succession. This allows screenwriter/director Yann samuell to tell the adventurous stories with interest and action enough, in his fictional adaptation of comic books by Hardoc and Régis Hautière. On the one hand, the adventure story typical of children's cinema, animated by the fun thay have throughout depeloped in a slight style. On the other hand, the film adequately reflects the universal destiny of all displaced people at all times and in all places, showing it in a concrete tough experience.
The motion picture was well written/directed by Yann Samuell. He stated: ¨I don't like films with a message at the end telling an audience, this is what you have to think. It's not up to me to have to decide for the audience¨. Yan Samuell was a storyboard artist and writer and director, making some fine films , such as: Le fantôme de Canterville , My sassy girl, L'âge de raison, Grand Hotel, Saving Lisa, The great ghost race, Jeux d'enfants and another succesful kiddies film: War of the buttons . La guerre des Lulus (2022) rating. 6.5/10. Better than average.
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