This French film is gloriously knotty Autumnal treat from film maker François Ozon who messes with genre and our moral compass.
Mushroom foraging can and does come back to bite you when you accidentally poison a visiting daughter. Valerie (Ludivine Sagnier) drops in for lunch from Paris, is obnoxious and ungracious to her mom Michelle, (Helene Vincent) a veggie-growing Burgundy villager, while pestering her for money referencing her advanced age. Post poisoning, Michelle can forget about a much anticipated vacation with her adored 10-year-old grandson, Lucas( Garlan Erlos) or any other visits come to that.
Depressed and bereft, Michelle takes to her bed but salvation is at hand in the unlikely form of Marie-Claudes (Josiane Balasko), her best friend’s son, Vincent, freshly released from prison with a spivvy moustache and a slick attitude. Generous to a fault Michelle offers him handyman work around her house….whereupon this screenplay segues into the thematic delivery of ambiguity.
It ain’t all roses, as Michelle’s story develops piece by piece into a Rubik’s Cube of a ride. Part murder mystery, or is it? with characters that are not clear as day or night, with an added splash of the supernatural. No one is exactly who they seem in this discombobulatingly wholesome affair that plums deeply into complicated family history. That Michelle lived a life less ordinary before retiring to her country retreat is hinted at in the opening scene, while she listens to the local priest’s sermon about Mary Magdalene.
Subtle, sharp and hauntingly melancholic, it’s a perfect blend of family drama with psychological suspense. The vagueness is frustrating but adds to the plot’s strength. Helene Vincent plays Michelle Giraud to perfection. Her forgiving nature and her warm, joyous spirit is beautifully presented in this subtle and humane film. The writing is masterfully scripted but what WHEN FALL IS COMING celebrates is the power of love.
