Assisted Suicide and Mother-Son Tensions Examined in Quelques Heures de Printemps
Quelques Heures de Printemps
Article Kanica Saphan
Quelques Heures de Printemps (dir. Stéphane Brizé) is a French film where the main character, 48-year-old Alain Evrard (Vincent Lindon), goes back to live in his mother, Yvette’s (Hélène Vincent) house. Tensions arise as the mother-son relationship weakens because of daily petty feuds. Alain’s mother has health complication that pushes her to choose assisted suicide in Switzerland.
This movie is about death and people’s inability to express feelings for loved ones, even on the verge of dying. As the plot unfolds, the viewer is progressively drawn in because the synopsis deals with a myriad of complex themes, all confusingly related. The cast is relatively small, but four characters are enough as they all connect to Alain.
Quelques Heures de Printemps is slow-placed and entirely realistic. One easily relates to Alain in certain ways. He goes back to his mother’s house after getting out of jail. She repeatedly reminds him that he’s not at home, and he resents her for making him feel pitiful. Alain tries to reintegrate society normally although he can’t help but feel shameful of his life.
This movie is sure to stir up emotions as it raises matters that affect us all: relationship difficulties with our parents, with our partner, and with ourselves. Alain and his mother are both stubborn and proud, but in this journey to death, the viewer hopes they will find the maturity to let go which will enable them to talk openly.
Quelques Heures de Printemps opens January 10th 2014.
