As an artist Philippe Claudel is a pessimistic one. His directorial debut I’ve Loved You So Long saw a woman struggling to interact with her family after spending fifteen years in prison. With the release of his much anticipated All the Suns, it’s surprising that he’s taken on a comic storyline. Sticking to what he does best however, this film follows the troubled life of Italian music teacher Alessandro (Stefano Accorsi), a widower living in Strasbourg, as he battles against the complexities surrounding love, life, family and death.
Tackling issues which may appear clichéd, Claudel approaches them with innovative freshness. Alessandro’s troubled relationship with his coming-of-age daughter is, at times, very touching as they struggle to accept her changing attitudes and beliefs. There are no purposely tear-jerking moments however; instead we witness a tender portrayal of a widowed man who mourns the life he once had. The laughs come from Alessandro’s anarchist brother, Luigi (Neri Marcorè), who is set on bringing about the demise of Berlusconi (looks like he succeeded). Heading his own one-man revolution, he refuses to conform to a capitalist society, by confining himself to his brother’s house. In a film which could have fallen victim to many corny moments, Claudel excels at making light out of the darker side of life.