The Little Bedroom

A young home caregiver grieving over her own recent miscarriage befriends a gruff elderly patient in this moving Swiss drama from filmmakers Stéphanie Chuat and Veronique Réymond. The inability of Rose (Florence Loiret Caille) to come to terms with the loss of their child disturbs her husband (Eric Caravaca), who must travel to America on a business trip. When Edmond (Michel Bouquet), whose son is also departing permanently for the United States, takes a tumble in his apartment, Rose—who has a special bond with the irascible old man—spirits him from the nursing home to her place, where she hides him from authorities while he recuperates. Rose tends to Edmond until he can deal with his changed situation on his own terms—even putting him up in the nursery that she has not been able to dismantle—while he in turn helps her overcome her pain and get on with life. While some of the psychological aspects of The Little Bedroom are obvious—clearly Rose is transferring the care she would have given her child to Edmond, as her returning husband explicitly says—the performances, especially by leads Bouquet and Caille, are so subtly drawn and the direction so natural that even occasional banalities are transformed into something touching and real. A gentle, honest tale about aging and renewal, this is recommended. (F. Swietek)