CLOSE
x

EVERYTHING WENT FINE gets 8/10 The final favour


Directed by François Ozon

Starring Sophie Marceau, André Dusollier, Géraldine Pailhas

8/10

Dealing with the not hugely fun topic of euthanasia, particularly in the family, can be a hard one. And this new French film deals with it in a way that’s thankfully more realistic than merely delicate. But strangely, the film absolutely doesn’t skimp on the laughs, approaching the final stage of life with a dry and sardonic humour.

When 85 year old André (André Dusollier) suffers a stroke, he is put into a debilitating state. His daughters Bernheim (Sophie Marceau) and Pascale (Géraldine Pailhas) come to visit and help him, but he makes them aware of his ultimate and final desire. It’s a wish he makes that causes ripples in not only his family, but in the law, and a sympathetic and understanding Bernheim makes it her mission to give her father a send-off as uncomplicated and as painless as she can.

This is quite an up-front account of a family dealing with the eldest’s euthanasia wish, handsomely and elegantly made, but still remaining reasonably acetic, leaving only what’s absolutely necessary in the film (such as the lack of music).

But amongst all this ultra-seriousness are the laughs, which aren’t even usually of the nervous relief kind, but genuine jokes in the dialogue, mostly coming from this old man, as if pressurised from how close he is to his demise. The film never seems to be political, keeping itself mostly emotional without having to be cheaply sentimental.

Some of the details of how the film approaches various aspects of this family event is done in their touching way particularly as it looks at the more neglected side of the family. Everything Went Fine seems to get into many of the details that could surround such a troubling moment. But it certainly doesn’t ignore the odd spurts of humour that emerge as well, making this a film that’s considerate of all the emotions surrounding such an emotional event.

DAVID MORGAN-BROWN

x