DES VENTS CONTRAIRES/ AGAINST THE WIND

France, 2011, 90 minutes, Colour.
Benoit Mangimal, Isabelle Carre, Audrey Tautou.
Directed by Jalid Lespert.

The English title does not do justice to this very good film. Adverse winds would be much truer and better.

Every so often a French film comes along, seemingly like many another about family and relationships, love and tensions, that stands out from the rest. This is the case with Des Vents Adversaires.

Benoit Mangimal is very good as a writer, who loves his wife and their two children, but has writer’s block. His busy wife is a doctor, working more than full-time at a children’s hospital. They quarrel and she hurries to work. She never returns. Paul searches for her, is reprimanded by his editor for leaving his children alone. Time passes. He is suspected of murder, but there is no evidence. Since Audrey Tautou plays the wife, she has to make an impression very quickly for audiences to appreciate her and the situation. (She does appear in some flashbacks.)

Paul and the children move to Brittany, to St Malo, for Paul to work for his brother at his driving school. They eventually settle in, though Paul lives with his sadness and regrets. Both children are very good in their roles as well.

There are some complications. Paul gives too much attention to a very young driving client which doesn’t help him with the police who are involved in another complication: a man released from gaol abducts his son from school and they go to the beach with Paul and his children to play. The man’s wife calls in the police. Paul wants to help, shelters the man and goes to persuade his wife not to set the lawyer on to her husband. Another tragedy follows and Paul is enmeshed with the police investigation with inevitable references to the disappearance of his wife.
The police and their methods and manners are presented very unsympathetically.

Despite a clash with his brother and the bad memories of their father, there is a resolution to the mystery, some very moving scenes of grief with the children – and some final hopefulness.

Very interesting, moving and satisfying.


1. A picture of French Life? Drama? Characters? Believable?

2. The title, as regards Paul, his children, his wife, the others, suffering? Hope?

3. The picture of the city, Home Life? The transition to St Malo the sea, the coast and beaches, the house, offices, the driving school, the police station, school? A real world? The musical score?

4. The introduction to the family, the wife being busy, a doctor, concern about the children, exasperation with Paul, his novel writing, his wanting some time off, her worry about the children dying in the hospital, not seeing her own children? Her going to the hospital, never being seen again? Paul and his concern at her disappearance, the phone calls, his going out and leaving the children, rebuked by his editor, the fight, going to hospital? The concern, the mystery, his being under suspicion, interrogated, no evidence against him?

5. The decision to go to St Malo? Alex, his brother the help, giving Paul the job, the driving school, the later eruption and anger, the past antagonisms, the parents, the attitudes towards their father, hating him, favoritism to Paul? Taking the children, Alex and his wife, the welcome, the children being upset, gradually settling down, painting the house, the fun of the paint fight, the children going to school, their father taking them, taking care of Manon, the teacher and her comments, Paul’s rudeness? His work, the driving school, driving Justine, her age, provocative, the sexual encounter and his impetuousness, his later apology, her canceling the contract?

6. The memories of his wife? Sitting sad? His love for her? Sarah as a character? The experience with Justine, Justine saying that Sarah was dead? His anger and putting her out of the car?

7. The criminal father, seeing Paul when he arrived? His being in jail, wanting to see his son, coming to the school, taking him out, with Paul and his children on the beach, playing football? Going to Paul’s home? His love for his son, his wife employing a lawyer? The phone call and desperation to call Paul, Paul talking to him, going to see his wife, making a plea? The siege, the father running, hit by the car, hospital, his death? Les vents adversaires, the winds against him?

8. The police, the suspicions, having information about Paul, interviews? Paul lying about the father and his son? Seeing the chase, the man’s death? The process and documents?

9. The children, their characters, the benefit of living in St Malo? The changing attitudes?

10. Alex, his relationship with his brother, his wife leaving him, his drinking, his outburst against his brother, having to stay with his father, his brother being
the favorite? His apology when he was sober?

11. Monsieur Brehel his story, a salesman, drinking, losing his license, driving lessons, regaining his license, celebrating, his relationship with the children?

12. The rich woman, driving lessons, reading Paul’s book, renting the house to him?

13. The phone call, the reality of his wife’s death, the slashing, buried in the garden, his getting her possessions back? The policewoman and her attempt
at consolation?

14. Telling the children, Clement and his being upset, Paul consoling Manon? Alex and his support?

15. The picture of the police, bureaucratic? Antagonism towards Paul, change of attitude?

16. Paul finishing a book, going to Paris, meeting Xavier, the publication?

17. Paul seen on the bridge? Vanishing?

18. The impact of the film as a drama, success in its portrait of characters, slice of life?