Les grandes personnes (2008) Reviews

• Smart and funny unpretentious little film

  johno-212009-01-15

  I recently saw this at the 2009 Palm Springs International Film Festival. Writer/director Anne Novion in her directorial debut directs this French film set in Sweden featuring a great cast with noted veterans Jean-Pierre Darrousin as Albert, Lisa Boysen as Anika, Judith Henry as Christine and the young but veteran of many films Anias Demoustier as Jeanne. Albert is a stuffy yet eccentric French father who every year takes his daughter Jeanne on a European vacation for her birthday. This year it is in Sweden but as in every year the trip revolves around things Albert wants to do. Albert's plan is to find Viking buried treasure on a barren island offshore with his newly purchased metal detector. Jeanne spots a local boy she has designs on for a possible summer love. Anika discovers a former lover who she jilted is living in the resort area and Judith has a long distance relationship with her boyfriend. The film is simple but smart and funny and I really liked it. A great cast and a nice small film for a first-time director. I would give this a 7.7 out of 10 and recommend it.

• Sweet but not much more

  stensson2009-01-09

  A French amateur historian goes to Sweden with his 17-year-old daughter. He seeks for a viking treasure. She is a polite and obedient daughter, who hasn't had much contacts with boys. Here she has some, which the father doesn't like. The movie is only about 80 minutes long, and therefore there are quite many threads which aren't followed up. Some of the supporting characters don't seem necessary at all. The script isn't really finished. Or has there been cuttings by some decision maker? Anyway, a sweet movie about rather common lives. One could have got much more out of this theme

• Swede Smell Of Success

  writers_reign2008-12-28

  It's quite possible that this movie wouldn't have got made if Jean-Pierre Darroussin hadn't agreed to play the lead. I'm basing this on the fact that writer-director Anne Novion lacks the profile of the leading female directors in France - Danielle Thompson, Toni Marshall, Anne Fontaine, Nicole Garcia, Ann Vernoux, Agnes Jaoui to name only a handful - and if that weren't sufficient handicap she's opted for one of those 'little' films where nothing happens all at once. For the record Darrossin has established a routine of taking his daughter, Anais Demoustiet, to a different European location on each of her birthdays and this year it is Sweden and a tiny coastal village at that. Darroussin has an idea to combine the holiday with searching for Viking treasure so he has brought along a metal detector. The first hiccup occurs when they arrive at their rented house to find it occupied by two women friends. They get over this and make the best of pitching in; daughter is coming up to that 'awkward' age which means the inevitable encounter with teenage boys; one of the women fancies Darroussin whilst the other stumbles across an ex-lover now happily married. And there you have it, nothing really wrong with it but I doubt you'll be killed in the rush in the unlikely event that it plays your local Multiplex.