Stéphane Brizé / France / 2012 / 108 min
Although the debate surrounding assisted deaths splits opinions, Stéphane Brizé’s heartbreaking drama shows the comfort it can offer patients diagnosed with incurable afflictions. After his release from prison, Alain (Vincent Lindon) reluctantly moves in with his elderly mother Yvette (Hélène Vincent). It’s not long before he discovers she has a terminal illness and that rather than face a long, medicated battle she’s very seriously considering voluntary euthanasia.
When Alain first moves home the tension present between the pair shows that even in the uncomplicated life depicted there’s an inner turmoil to existence. As Alain struggles to adjust back to life he can be callous and abrasive, scuppering relationships and job opportunities and ruining his best efforts at a fresh start. Brizé juxtaposes this against Yvette’s apparent apathy to continue living. Yvette’s consideration of euthanasia before her illness fully develops infers a weariness at life but more importantly shows a desire for control over a usually uncontrollable situation. While the state compels Alain to enrol in menial employment and his criminal record tarnishes his ability to meet new people, the one decision we usually have no control over, i.e. death, Yvette gets to decide on her own terms. Brizé’s endearing production shows how even the worst circumstances can be made bearable by undergoing them in a way of your own choosing.
Showing as part of the Glasgow Film Festival 2013
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