Father of My Children

Director Mia Hansen-Løve's film turns a potentially maudlin tale of family tragedy into a thoughtful and intelligent drama. Independent film producer Grégoire (Louis-Do de Lencquesaing) works overtime juggling his current projects (all on tight schedules and plagued by troublesome directors and actors) with his creditors' incessant demands, as well as the expectations of his wife, Sylvia (Chiara Caselli), and three daughters—Valentine (Alice Gautier), Billie (Manelle Driss), and Clémence (Alice de Lencquesaing). Grégoire is a charming, well-educated, apparently calm man who clearly loves Sylvia and the children, but it soon becomes apparent that he's in serious financial difficulty, and the family dynamic is abruptly shattered by an event that leaves everyone trying to pick up the pieces. While the plot could have easily devolved into mawkishness, Hansen-Løve employs restraint to tell this moving story—which also benefits from beautifully modulated performances—with compassion. Highly recommended. (F. Swietek)