35 Shots of Rum (12A)
- Starring: Gregoire Colin, Alex Descas, Mati Diop, Nicole Dogue, Eriq Ebouaney, Jean-Christophe Folly
- Director: Claire Denis
- Duration: 100 mins
- Year: 2009
A widower is cared for by his daughter, who also becomes a step-wife for him.
Reviews
Alison Rowat's Review
French director Claire Denis (Chocolat, Beau Travail) has built a devoted arthouse following with her cool, intelligent dramas.
This offering, focussing on a father-daughter relationship, starts off at a distance and remains a little too detached to match her previous best.
Set in a block of flats in Paris, Josephine (Mati Diop) and her widower father Lionel (Alex Descas) have coped with the loss of his wife and her mother by retreating into their own well-ordered world. While they concentrate on being a support system for each other, neighbours and friends attempt to bring them back into the social fray. The daughter, especially, seems reluctant to make the leap.
Fine performances, from Diop in particular, but with its determinedly languid style, 35 Shots of Rum struggles to become intoxicating.