As Marie aka Tony recovers from a serious injury incurred while dangerously skiing down a mountain, she starts to go through her relationship with the man who is the love of her life, a man that she cannot live with Georgio. As the physical journey to get back walking takes its toll and becomes more than a physical therapy it becomes a trip to psychological well-being.
There are a few films through the course of my life that I only want to watch every now and again for good reasons and now Mon Roi has been added to that list. I can’t convey to you in the short space that we have here what this film means to me now. I just fell for the characters, their lives, their ups and their downs, and I would happily watch this film again, but not too much. Think of it as a good dessert, before we all became obese, me included, when we used it as a rare pleasure. If you have it too much you’ll get tired of it, but taken rarely, and enjoyed, it will bring so much pleasure to your life. I will also add again that I don’t know why anyone would pick to go skiing on their vacation, it’s exercise meets pain, and that can be done at home or at the office, I’m never going to pay to have that. That is unless I visit Amsterdam.
Anyway…
The film flits back and forth to the physical therapy and the past relationship. What captures your mind more than anything is the reality of two professional people learning that they can’t live without each other, to the point that they can’t live with each other. The reality of the situation is something that you are going to pick points from your own life or the lives of your friends. There is a huge amount of charm and beauty that flows as the relationship grows and a painful sorrow builds in you as they self destruct their love. It is a hard thing to find in a film to feel one of these ways and yet the Writer and Director manages to bring you through a whole host of emotions with ease. All the while you wish for the best for the characters, you’ll hate both of them, love their love for each other, and at times want to scream in their ears. The Paris city setting and the comfortable background music, along with the characters surrounding the main pair, all add a depth to the film that bigger budget films have trouble finding.
Vincent Cassel plays Georgio and Emmanuelle Bercot plays Tony and I really wish there was an award from the Academy for best on-screen chemistry, I know there is one in those awards from the music channel that never plays music any more, but they should win it all. Their reactions to one another brings an idea that you are watching one of those scripted reality shows. Both characters are played perfectly and you see their fragile natures come through the overcoat of their armor.
There is another stand out performance here, subtle but honest and true, Louis Garrel as Tony’s brother Solal. This character is the fixed point in the storm of the relationship between Georgio and Tony. He dislikes Georgio and hopes that the relationship will fail while never actually saying it. Louis manages to be there and only when the film ends do you realise the impact that this character has on the lives of those around him. Great work young man!
Mon Roi, My King, 100% enjoyable drama with a comedy backbone to hold up the reality of the film. You may not enjoy this French film, but the true and natural acting and script that bounces through the highs and lows of the love and lives of Tony and Georgio will be my once in a while treat through the years. It’s always nice to get an extra title for that list, and sadly it doesn’t happen as much as it should.
[yasr_overall_rating size=”large”]
Director: Maïwenn
Writers: Etienne Comar (screenplay), Maïwenn (screenplay)
Stars:Â Vincent Cassel, Emmanuelle Bercot, Louis Garrel
Full Cast List HERE
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