The Son (film)
8 /10 1 Votes
Duration Language French | 7.8/10 IMDb Genre Drama, Mystery Country Belgium
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Director Jean-Pierre Dardenne
Luc Dardenne Release date 9 October 2002 (2002-10-09) (Belgium)
23 October 2002 (2002-10-23) (France) Writer Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Luc Dardenne Directors Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Luc Dardenne Screenplay Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Luc Dardenne Awards Cannes Best Actor Award, San Francisco Film Critics Circle Award for Best Foreign Language Film Cast Olivier Gourmet (Olivier), Morgan Marinne (Francis), Isabella Soupart (Magali), Nassim Hassaïni (Omar)Similar movies Dardenne brothers movies, Olivier Gourmet movies, Set in Belgium | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Olivier (Olivier Gourmet), a carpentry instructor at a rehab facility for boys, initially turns down young Francis (Morgan Marinne) request to apprentice with him. He eventually gives in and begins to teach the troubled teenager, but, he also takes to following the boy through the streets, watching his every move and even going so far as to break into his home. After the reason for Oliviers dark obsession is finally exposed, he realizes that he must then make a difficult decision.
Contents
The Son (French: ) is a 2002 Belgian-French mystery film directed by Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne.
A joinery instructor at a rehab center refuses to take a new teen as his apprentice, but then begins to follow the boy through the hallways and streets.
Plot
Olivier, a carpenter by trade who teaches at a trades training center, knowingly takes on Francis Thorion, the murderer of his son, as an apprentice. Francis is unaware of his connection with Olivier from five years ago. Olivier, tormented by the loss of his son and his separation from his wife, develops a slight obsession with Francis. He stalks him home, steals his keys and explores his apartment, whilst slowly discovering more about the boy. Francis looks up to Olivier, seeing him as a surrogate role-model. With this on his mind, Olivier is ultimately torn between hatred for the murderer of his son and the moral ambiguity of accepting this child from a broken home and disillusioned past.
Cast
Interpretation
Luc Dardenne wrote a comment about The Son in his book Au dos de nos images. Magali, the ex-wife of Olivier is very astonished that Olivier took Francis, the murderer of their son, into his workshop . She says to Olivier, "Nobody would do that." He answers, "I know." And she replies, "Then, why do you do it?" He answers, "I dont know." And Luc Dardenne wrote "We dont know either."
Awards
Olivier Gourmet received the Best Actor Award at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival for his portrayal of the tormented Olivier.
The film received the Andre Cavens Award for Best Film by the Belgian Film Critics Association (UCC). Roger Ebert ranked the film No. 7 on his list of the best films of the decade (2000–2009). Paste Magazine named it one of the 50 Best Movies of the Decade (2000–2009), ranking it at #8.
References
The Son (film) WikipediaThe Son (film) IMDb The Son (film) themoviedb.org