Dardenne brothers (Jean-Pierre and Luc) are French-Belgian film
directors who have come to limelight through a series of films that are unique
in style and content. Their focus is to portray the problematic in society and
bring about a healing of sorts. To this effect, they have directed several
films, the protagonists of which are generally delinquents. However, Dardenne
brothers do not miss to give a positive outlook at the end of each film. Not to
forget, their films are popular as much for their content as style.
Dardenne Brothers
Film Clip
Le Fils or The Son is one such
sensitive film. It touches us for its simplicity. The film deals mostly with
two characters. One, Francis Thorion is a delinquent. He has just come out of
the jail, serving a sentence of 5 years for killing a child. He is now put
under a professional carpenter Olivier as an apprentice. The irony is that it
is Olivier’s son that Francis had killed. The film develops grimly, with no
usual pleasantries being exchanged between the two, even as Olivier knows that
Francis has killed his son. It is only when Francis gets to know that it is
Olivier’s son that he had killed, that the film picks up pace, literally.
The beauty of the film is that it has very few distractions. In fact,
there are very few dialogues as well. The hand-held camera that follows the
characters is like a hound of heaven. The medium and close up shots ruling the
roost throughout the film are so all-pervading that they can get on your nerves
at times, unless you reconcile with the style of the directors. However, what
touches, as usual, is the positive outlook of the film. Both the characters of
Oliveir and Francis add substance to the film’s orientation.
- Melwyn Pinto SJ
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