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The Happiness of Others

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Wikipedia article




'The Happiness of Others' is a Canadian comedy-drama film, directed by Jean-Philippe Pearson and released in 2011.Charles-Henri Ramond, [https://www.filmsquebec.com/films/bonheur-des-autres-jean-philippe-pearson/ "Bonheur des autres, Le Film de Jean-Philippe Pearson"]. 'Films du Qubec', August 26, 2011. The film centres on Jean-Pierre (Michel Barrette), a middle-aged man whose marriage to Louise (Louise Portal) broke up 20 years earlier, as he announces to Louise and their now-adult children Sylvain (Marc-Andr Grondin) and Marion (ve Duranceau) that his new girlfriend velyne (Julie Le Breton) is pregnant.Brendan Kelly, "A great idea runs into a fatal flaw". 'Montreal Gazette', October 7, 2011.

The cast also includes Germain Houde, Stphane Breton, Isabelle Vincent and Normand Daneau in supporting roles.

The film was shot in Montreal in 2010,"Jean-Philippe Pearson tourne son premier film cet t dans la rgion de Montral". Canadian Press, July 7, 2010. and premiered on October 7, 2011.Andr Duchesne, [https://www.lapresse.ca/cinema/nouvelles/entrevues/201207/17/01-4545847-le-bonheur-des-autres-papa-arrete-detre-heureux.php "Le bonheur des autres: papa, arrte d'tre heureux!"]. 'La Presse', October 1, 2011.

Critical response



Brendan Kelly of the 'Montreal Gazette' rated the film just one star out of five, writing that "Le bonheur des autres should be a much better film than it is. There is the germ of a great idea lurking somewhere deep inside the first feature written and directed by Jean-Philippe Pearson but that good idea is smothered by a screenplay that's terminally flawed...First off, any movie that wastes the talent of someone as gifted as Marc-Andr Grondin has much to answer for. He plays Jean-Pierre's son Sylvain, and it's at Sylvain's 29th birthday dinner that his dad announces that he's set to have another kid. Sylvain's girlfriend dumps him in brutal fashion right at the start of the film, and that is about all that happens to him in the story. Much less convincing is the main couple, Jean-Pierre and Evelyne. How can I put this politely? Oh well, forget politeness. Jean-Pierre is such a jerk you don't for a minute believe someone as beautiful, smart and poised as Evelyne would spend a night with him, let alone form a family with him. Le Breton is pretty good - as always - but it just had me dreaming of the day this fine actress finally nabs the meaty big-screen role she deserves."

Elizabeth Lepage-Boily 'Cinoche.com' has an other point of View about the movie "Le scnario du premier film de Jean-Philippe Pearson est certes intrigant et sympathique, mais la vritable force de l'oeuvre se trouve davantage au niveau de sa structure narrative que dans le sujet exploit. Une famille dysfonctionnelle n'est pas le thme le plus original qui soit, mais la manire qu'a le ralisateur de dcrire chacun de ses personnages, de nous amener les aimer malgr leurs dfauts flagrants et leurs erreurs parfois impardonnables, nous fait apprcier son film instinctivement... Pearson russit crer une union solide, des rapprochements importants (malgr la discorde qui rgne entre eux) entre les diffrentes cellules pour que nous nous attachions aux protagonistes sans perdre de vu les filons de l'histoire. Ce qui est remarquable galement c'est le ct trs observateur du rcit. Jamais le scnariste ne porte un jugement sur les actions de ses hros, personne ne dtient la vrit et le public est libre de choisir son camp sans se sentir guid ou influenc par une moralit, une conscience impose. Nous serions tents de juger Jean-Pierre qui a quitt sa femme et ses enfants pour aller travailler Toronto, mais chaque point de vue est si bien dvelopp que son dpart finit par nous paratre justifi". "

Awards



Portal received a Jutra Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress at the 14th Jutra Awards in 2012.[https://www.lapresse.ca/cinema/nouvelles/201207/17/01-4544917-jutra-liste-des-nominations.php "Jutra: liste des nominations"]. 'La Presse', March 9, 2012.

References




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