The Last Escape (2010 film)

Plot

During a family Christmas dinner, the Lévesque family meets in order to spend quality time together. However, a major topic of conversation spoils the festive atmosphere: the health of the father of this family (Jacques Godin), who is diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. In addition, the quality of life is more than anything but fair at that time, as the family often quarrels. His eldest son André (Yves Jacques) and André's son Sam (Aliocha Schneider) want to end his suffering by making him live his last moments in happiness. However, the rest of the family does not agree to this, believing that their father should live as long as possible. One thing is certain, is that this father and his wife (Andrée Lachapelle) will not separate under any circumstances.

Cast

Critical Response

Boyd van Hoeij from Variety magazine wrote: "Though pic’s first half covers a Christmas dinner that introduces the extended, ennui-inducing Levesque clan, the unfocused narrative pivots around a single moment in the childhood of Andre (Jules St-Jean as a child, Denys Arcand regular Yves Jacques as an adult) that explains the hatred toward his now-ailing, septuagenarian dad, Anatole (Godin). But numerous flashbacks — in shaky, overexposed Super 8 — reduce a potentially complex father-son relationship to a simplistic tit-for-tat. Like Godin, Andree Lachapelle, as Anatole’s wife, is outstanding, though her character’s final actions reek more of screenplay convenience than character conviction. Violin- and piano-driven score doesn’t dare wander off the beaten path; other craft contributions also march in line."