There are thousands of films about Italian families around the world. This is probably the "less Italian" of them all. But for one character, *(Salvatore) the "classical macho", moustache and gait included, the rest of the characters have little that makes us feel they're from that country. There's a catchy Italian song that they'll repeat over an over.
Based on a novel by Sylvie Testud!, who also stars this botched film. Second film of director Éléonore Faucher.
This film is about a struggling divorced mother rearing her children on her own, "Anna Di Biaggio" (Amira Casar, from "Transylvania", "Filles perdues...", "La verite" among others, who is probably the most convincing character, having to deal with stupid lines and abrupt changes of tone in her character. Her sister is played by Lubna Azabal, also with a long career under her sleeve, including "Exiles" for instance. I'll briefly describe the family for it's a closed-knit one, just like our preconceived idea about "Italians".
Corinne, the oldest daughter, in the beginning seems to be the protagonist, but the real star is Sybille (as an adult she becomes S. Testud). Georgette is the smallest daughter, played to perfection by "Roxane Monnier" (it must be difficult to direct children that small!).
The movie is badly directed, with quirky dialogues. The scene of the father in the last quarter for instance is just nonsensical. Such an important moment and they all feign to be in a hurry. Then the "truth" emerges (trival at most, feigning dramatism). The father himself is a character that has no proper treatment in the film, he seems to have some limitations, professional and personal, but I don't think he's THAT bad for her wife and daughter not wanting to ever see him again.
There are many movies that exploit this better, from "The talented Mr. Ripley" to that famous one from NZ made in the 90s, also about women, whose name I can't recall now. *(help :)).
The only thing I really liked was how they showed family relationships down in Italy, how EVERYBODY speaks at will about "why her marriage failed", "what she should have done", "how was her husband", and the typical things that if you do belong to an Italian family, know you're going to endure. Before the dance and the collective joy, among lots of food of course :)! David-robin writing on IMDb is right that it's also of interest "the way Italians were perceived in France in the 60's". The reconstruction of the epoch is fine.
As a beauty relief male audiences will have a glimpse at bombshell Sophie Guillemin, from "Harry, un ami...", playing here a bimbo as usual.
Don't watch it unless there's really nothing else to do :).
