OFFICIAL SELECTION (IN COMPETITION) – 2021 VENICE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
The remarkable Vincent Lindon reunites with acclaimed writer/director Stéphane Brizé (The Measure of a Man, Mademoiselle Chambon) in this stunning drama, delivering a powerhouse turn as a driven white-collar manager torn between duty to his job, his family and his principles.
Lindon plays Philippe Lemesle, an executive who oversees the regional factory of an industrial multi-national. He has dedicated his life to the company, balancing relations with his employees while placating his bosses and their American overlords. But it’s come at a high personal cost - he and partner Anne (the amazing Sandrine Kiberlain, Lindon’s ex-wife in real life) are separating, and his relationship with troubled son Lucas (In The Name Of The Land’s Anthony Bajon) is also foundering. So when the already-frayed Philippe is tasked by management with a downsizing operation, he faces a major crisis of conscience…
Harnessing the humanist spirit of Ken Loach, Brizé’s intimate and emotionally-engaging film is a clear-eyed look at the pressures of modern society. Lindon is truly astounding, finding empathy and pathos as a man backed into a corner, but who decides to fight back. He and the film are knock-outs.
