Le fils

The latest film by the Dardenne Brothers, just like Golden Palm winner Rosetta, does not leave one feeling good. The location – again the grey industrial city of Liège – and the realistic portrayal of the life of ‘ordinary people’ certainly do not provide any guarantee of that. Nevertheless, the minimalist form and the unexpected denuement make Le fils an intense film experience that is more than worthwhile.The introvert carpenter Olivier (played by Olivier Gourmet, who was also seen in Rosetta and La promesse) has several apprentices at work in his workshop. Francis (16) comes and applies, but Olivier sends him away because he doesn’t have a place for him right now. When that evening he hears from his ex-wife Magali that she is pregnant by her new boyfriend and is going to marry him, then Olivier changes his mind. Next day he takes on the mysterious Francis as apprentice. The relationship between the two of them is uneasy, but it isn’t obvious why. It is even more strange that Olivier follows the boy everywhere he goes. Slowly but surely, the painful tale unfolds that links Olivier, Francis and Magali together.The camera is so close on Olivier that the most subtle gesture, each nervous twitch and the slightest sign of emotion is shown larger than life. This looks like the only way we can see into the soul of the isolated Olivier.