LES PETITS MOUCHOIRS (LITTLE WHITE LIES)

France, 2010, 154 minutes. Colour.
Francois Cluzet, Marion Cotillard, Benoit Magimel, Gilles Lellouche.
Directed by Guillaume Canet.

Very French.

French writers and directors seem to have an inbuilt talent for writing and directing films about families and tensions in relationships. They dramatise these not so much in melodramatic encounters and crises (though they can do that too) but in the ordinary things of life. The premiss of this quite long drama (almost two and a half hours) about families and friends is that in the ordinariness of life, we are not always truthful to ourselves or to others. We avoid responsibilities or hurt others with little white lies. We also tell more than little white lies to ourselves which evolve into considerable self-deception, sometimes with dire consequences. Hence the title of the film.

During the opening credits we see a young man on a motor bike riding through Paris streets and suddenly hit by a lorry. He is hospitalised with severe injuries. A group of close friends come to visit him. But, it is summer and northern hemisphere vacation time. Should they go on their planned holiday or stay in Paris to be with their friend?

We know that they will go on holidays but the scene in which they debate whether they should go or not, that their friend will be unconscious because of surgery and recuperation, and rationalising their going means the beginning of a new round of little white lies.

Much of the film shows the group on holidays by the sea out from Bordeaux. They know each other well and have been there before. For a while, we and they are happy in the sun and in the water.

But, we know it can’t last. We begin to be very aware of the potential for clash. In fact, in one sequence before they go, we see the senior friend, Max, a restaurateur and owner of the holiday house (Francois Cluzet) being massaged by his physiotherapist, Vincent, and then dining with him while Vincent talks about his affection for Max, declaring he is not gay, is married and Max is his son’s godfather. But, this encounter rankles with Max and the close proximity of Max and his wife with Vincent and his wife and son on the holiday leads to quite some outbursts, especially from a prickly Max prone to blurt out hurtful remarks who, whether he realises it or not, is an ambitious and controlling man. He has a very patient wife who is at pains to help him see what is happening despite her annoyance with him.

Others in the group have relationship problems which also come to the fore. Eric (Gilles Lellouche) is an actor who more than fancies himself as a ladies’ man and is being ditched by his latest, an opera singer. Marie (Marion Cotillard) loves the injured man but has a dread of commitment and finds herself, most unwillingly, having to make a commitment choice to her latest boyfriend, a very sympathetic singer. Antoine (Laurent Lafitte) has the blues because his long-standing girlfriend has broken contact and is planning to get married, but not to Antoine.

Plenty of problems which audiences may or may not be able to identify with but will surely recognise. It is a pity but necessary, of course, for the drama, that so many of these characters are not particularly pleasant people in their own unpleasant ways.

Some locals become part of the group, especially the old oyster fisherman who has known Max since he was a boy and knows the group well – and is in a position at the end of the film to challenge them all, which he does.

The film was written and directed by actor Guillaume Canet who directed the French adaptation of Harlan Coben’s Tell No One. He has taken on quite a large though intimate canvas here. He does it well but there is always that problem of how interested we really are in some, or all, of the characters and their sorting out their problems.

1. A French story? French characters, situations? Style? Universal appeal?

2. The locations, the French coast, the beach, the town, the houses? The holiday season? The contrast with the city, streets, hospital? The musical score?

3. The screenplay, the crisis, friends gathering, decisions to be made, the back-stories of each of the characters? The decision to go on holiday? Their interactions, clashes, crises during the holiday? The death of Ludo? The funeral, the confrontations, the aftermath?

4. The title, its meaning, motivation for lying, each of the characters and their lies, to others, self-deception? The consequences?

5. The opening, the city at night, the accident, Ludo’s injuries, in hospital? The drugs? His friends, their response? Ludo’s prospects? The issue of whether they should stay in the city for him or not, the discussions, the motivations, the white lies? Eric and his final visit? Ludo’s death? The news from Vincent?

6. Max at the centre of the action, his age and experience, owning the restaurant, his wife, his children? Their ordinary lives? The background of his house, work with the oyster-fishing when a young man? His ambitions, his hosting the holiday, becoming more pedantic, mowing the lawn early in the morning, his angers and moods? The noises in the walls and his bashing in the wall? The water skiing? With Vincent, the initial massage, the meal, his being upset, Vincent’s declaration, his bewilderment? The repercussions? Afraid or not? Anger and silence? Blurting out truths? His relationship with his wife, her supporting him, her criticising him? His hitting the boy, his apology? The nature of his crisis?

7. Vincent, personality, the massage, his work? The meal, talk, declarations of affection, his explanations, Max’s reactions? Vincent’s wife, son, Max the godfather? The decision to go on the holiday? Participating in the holiday, the activities, looking at Max, Max’s reactions and anger? Their being isolated on the boat, the reef and stuck? The slap, Vincent’s reaction, packing and leaving? At home with his wife, her love for Vincent? Giving the news of Ludo’s death?

8. Eric, actor, his girlfriend from the opera, her not coming for the holiday? His flirting with Marie? His manner of talk, reflecting on his life? His womanising? His expectations? The small-time acting career? Friendship with Antoine, persuading him that Juliette loved him? Reassessing his own life, after the encounters with Marie? The drive to Paris, his excuses? His being rejected by the singer? Driving back? Admitting the truth to himself?

9. Antoine, his moods, his waiting for phone calls from Juliette? The messages? His landing the boat and the crash? His participation in the holiday? His wanting to go to Paris, the travel with Eric, the vigil at Juliette’s window, the explanations, the ultimatum, returning with her?

10. The wives, their puzzling about their husbands? Dealing with the truth?

11. Marie, her life, friendship with Ludo? Her inability to commit? The many relationships? With Ludo and the puzzle of the holiday? With Eric? Sharing in the holiday, her variety of moods, the visit of her boyfriend, her stern reaction to him? The news of her pregnancy? Her weeping? The possibility of commitment?

12. The singer, a nice man, travelling down, the welcome, singing the songs, everybody joining in, Marie keeping aloof? His decision to leave, leaving the guitar with the group? At the end, Marie’s return to him?

13. Nassim, his visiting, Jean-Louis? and his being a host? His activities with the group?

14. Jean-Louis?, the workman, with Max in the past, the oyster-fishing, the local difficulties, trade? His helping the group? His decision to tell them off, the home truths? Bringing the sand to the funeral? Affecting a reconciliation?

15. The effect of Ludo’s death, the gathering for the funeral?

16. Were the different members of the group able to face their problems, accept their lies, acknowledge the truth – and hope for the future?