Roanoke Cox Cable provides another foreign film viewing opportunity On DEMAND. The movie is a French film from 2007 titled The Grocer’s Son. It’s a charming light drama concerning a young man coming to terms with his family, his roots, and a young woman named Claire. It also provides a lovely look at the French countryside and some of its quaint inhabitants. Tune into channel 1 then select the Free Zone, Free Movies, and finally Filmfest to watch it in the comfort of your own easy chair.
The movie opens with the title character named Antoine (Nicolas Cazale) coming to the hospital to see his ailing father and makes it obvious there is some bad blood between them. His father’s incapacitation jeopardizes the family’s small grocery business. Reluctantly, Antoine agrees to come home and take over his father’s delivery route in the country and brings his wannabe girlfriend Claire (Clotilde Hesme) along with him. A delightful collection of crusty and comic elderly villagers make up the customers on the grocer’s delivery route. Antoine’s brusque manner and failure to understand his father’s special payment arrangements threaten to kill the business until Claire charms the locals.
The Grocer’s Son is very much like one of our quiet independent films. It’s well acted with the two leads being likeable even at their worst. We hope for Antoine and Claire to realize what they both want is each other and for Antoine to become a better man. There is also some real artistry in this film such as with a beautiful romantic moment at a window. A lace curtain comes between the two lovers for a brief moment that is both sexy and visually fascinating.
Also worthy of mention is Liliane Rovere as the feisty Lucienne, a local lady with a colorful past that Antoine knows something about. She provides some nice comic moments and also serves as Antoine’s advisor. This well told slice of life story is available on DEMAND through February 1st.
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