A Loving Father Movie Review

Set aside the unlikely story: Gérard Depardieu's Leo wins the Nobel Prize for literature. Decides to drive his motorcycle to Sweden to pick it up. Encounters spiteful and disowned son at a gas station on the way. Son follows dad, dad crashes his motorcycle. Son kidnaps disoriented dad. World thinks dad is dead when they find his wallet on the scene (where, conveniently, another motorcycle has crashed and the rider hasn't survived).

Yeah, that sounds pretty stupid, but Depardieu's a good enough actor to pull most of this off: A mean-spirited story of intra-family backbiting and angst, with the son played by real-life Depardieu junior, Guillaume. Gérard Depardieu proves he's still go the chops to pull off a hateful father role even though he's playing against his own son.

What works less well is the story, which is wildly improbable and more than a little stupid. As a dark and somewhat disturbing character study, A Loving Father gives us plenty to thrill to. As a Lynchian tale of deep seated secrets, it comes up flat.

Aka Aime ton père.

Handle with care.