Saturday, 09 October 2021 12:58

Two is a Family/ Demain tout commence






TWO IS A FAMILY/ DEMAIN TOUT COMMENCE


France, 2016, 118 minutes, Colour.
Omar Sy, Clemence Poesy, Antoine Bertrand, Ashley Walters, Gloria Colston, Clementine Celarie.
Directed by Hugo Gelin.


This is a remake of a Mexican film which has the evocative title, Instructions Not Needed. The original French title of this film has a different tone, Demain tout commence/Tomorrow Everything Begins. However, Two is a Family does give a focus to what this film is about.

Advertising tells us that it was one of the most popular films of the French box office in 2017-2018. It certainly has a lot of popular ingredients, a vivacious little girl aged eight, an oddball father-figure, a mother, Kristin (Clemence Poesy) who abandons her baby, some heart-wrenching child custody issues.

While the film is French and the opening sequences set on the coast of southern France, most of the action actually takes place in London. Fortunately, there are a lot of French-speakers in London as well as a French school for the little girl! The little girl is Gloria, played by actress Gloria Colston, able to speak charmingly in both French and English.

And the father-figure? Samuel. He is played by the very popular Omar Sy who made such an impression as the carer in The Intouchables. The filmmakers are able to capitalise on his agreeable screen presence – although, at the beginning, he is shown to be pretty reckless and irresponsible. Of course, this is the setting for him having to discover responsibility, a young woman arriving to tell him that he is the father of her baby and getting him to hold her while she takes €20 and gets a taxi and disappears from their lives.

What is Sam to do? He goes post-haste to London, gets lost, has some problems in the Underground, encounters a French-speaking man, Bernie (Antoine Bertrand) who ultimately helps him out. Bernie is a film producer and sees the potential in Sam as a stuntman. Bernie also has a roving eye and has a very camp manner.

And so the years pass. Gloria is eight, lively, goes to school, joins Sam on the film sets, and in-jokes with him pretending to be unconscious after a stunt and she telling him he is immortal and his waking up! Who could ask for anything more!

Actually, Sam has become very responsible man, a loving father, sending an email every night to Gloria in the name of her mother whom he describes as a world-roving secret agent. Of course, there is the perennial question about telling the truth right from the beginning because lying can lead to disasters.

Suddenly, Kristin makes contact, comes from New York with her partner, wants to meet her daughter, is overjoyed, Sam slightly mellowing in his attitude towards Kristin. But, we know that there will be a mother’s a desire to have custody of her daughter.

The film becomes very serious towards the end, with both parties making strong speeches in court, pleading their cause, and the point being made, and made out loud by the judge, that custody is for the benefit of the child, not of the parent.

There are some further complications, a bit more heart-rending, before an ending which give sense to the original French title: it will be tomorrow when everything begins for Sam.


1. the emphasis of the French title? The title in English? Based on a true story? An emotional story?

2. The French-British? coproduction, the scenes in the south of France, the coast, the town? The contrast with the London settings, homes, film sets, the outings, the law courts, doctor’s surgery? The musical score?

3. Omar Sy and his screen presence, first impressions about his character, reckless, no worries about time, work on the boats, the parties, the women, Samantha threatening to fire him?

4. Kristin and her arrival, her situation, giving him the child, the paternity issue? Boring the €20? Samuel’s reaction, his many friends, the airport, the flight to London, in the tube, the chance encounter with Bernie, leaving the baby, the acrobatics down the escalator? Going to the hotel, Kristin not there? His feeling abandoned in London? Bernie and his card?

5. The friendship with Bernie, becoming the stuntman, Bernie and his friendship, the jobs? Bernie and his role with the baby? His comment that he was an equivalent mother?

6. Gloria, is a little baby, growing up, a life, sharing it with Samuel, up to 8 years old? Speaking English and French? At school, her dislike of the teacher, the support of the principal? Wanting contact with her mother, Samuel and his emails in her name, the exploits of the secret agent? Gloria and her love for Sam, as a true father?

7. Sam and glory going to the doctor, the diagnosis, her illness? Audience expectations?

8. Samuel searching for Kristin, no answers to the emails, the eventual opening up of the emails, her coming to London, the bond with her daughter, love, playing along with the secret agent story, her American boyfriend and is coming to London?

9. The stunt work, the jokes, Gloria telling Sam that he was immortal and waking him up? Kristin the boyfriend watching the stunt from the 11th walk, Sam’s reluctance, his doing the stunt, playing the game and not waking up for a while? Everybody’s reaction?

10. Bernie, as a person, camp in manner, Gay, eyeing up the men? Kristin’s boyfriend? In the restaurant? His work, support of Samuel, love Gloria?

11. The school, the principal and her getting the television stories, the prim teacher, Kristin wanted to go into the classroom, excluded?

12. Kristin and her decision, going to court, her speech and plea, Sam speech, in French, is the father? The judge, fairness? The appeal about the paternity, the test, Kristin to have custody? Gloria upset about the truth, her reaction, going to stay with Kristin? It coming back to Sam?

13. Kristin taking it to the US, Gloria not wanting to go, running from taxi, running away with Sam? Bernie and the discussion with Kristin at the taxi?

14. The happiness together, in the south of France, Kristin and Bernie present? The information about Gloria dying? Samantha welcoming them back?

15. The moral of the story, judgement in custody for what is best for the child, not for the parent?

More in this category: « Strangers of the Evening Gringo »