Secrets Beneath the Surface: The Haunting Allure of 'When Fall Is Coming'
In this episode of *Movies First*, Chris and Jessica unravel the intricate layers of the French film *When Fall Is Coming*, a poignant exploration of family secrets and the haunting nature of our past actions. The film, reminiscent of Ingmar Bergman's thematic depth, showcases how unresolved issues can linger like autumn leaves, refusing to fall. Chris delves into the character of Michelle, a seemingly composed grandmother whose idyllic life in the French countryside hides a more complex reality, brought to life by Helen Vincent's nuanced performance.
Jessica highlights the brilliant use of the garden as a metaphor throughout the film, symbolizing the need to address what lies beneath the surface before one can truly grow. The discussion turns to the powerful poisoned mushroom incident, which serves as a stark reminder of how toxic elements from the past can resurface, threatening everything one has built. The dynamic between Michelle and her daughter Valerie, portrayed with striking complexity by Ludivine Seigne, illustrates the film's exploration of second chances and the emotional prisons we can create for ourselves.
Listeners will appreciate director Francois Ozan's patient storytelling, allowing relationships to develop before delivering impactful revelations. The cinematography by Jerome Almeras beautifully captures the Burgundy region, enhancing the film's atmosphere of suspense and secrecy. Chris and Jessica discuss the film's nuanced take on judgment and redemption, questioning whether some actions are truly unforgivable while acknowledging the moral ambiguity present in every character.
With a commendable rating of 8 out of 10, *When Fall Is Coming* is an atmospheric and richly rewarding film that lingers in the mind, prompting reflections on forgiveness and the complexities of family dynamics. Join Chris and Jessica as they dissect this compelling drama that teaches us that while we may attempt to bury our secrets, they often grow into something far more significant than we could ever anticipate.
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Chris: Family secrets have a way of surfacing at the most
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unexpected times. And that's exactly what makes
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this new French film, When Fall Is Coming, so
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captivating. It shows how our past
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actions can haunt us like autumn leaves
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that refuse to fall.
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Jessica: That's such an interesting way to look at it. The
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way this film handles family dynamics reminds me of how
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Ingmar Bergman approached similar themes in his work.
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This slow unraveling of relationships that reveals
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deeper truths.
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Chris: You know what's fascinating about Michelle's character?
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Here's this grandmother who seems to have it all
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figured out. She's given her Paris apartment to
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her daughter. She's living this idyllic
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life in the French countryside. But there's this
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undercurrent of, uh, something not quite right.
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Jessica: And the way Helen Vincent plays her is so nuanced.
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Every gentle gesture in her garden seems to be hiding
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something deeper.
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Chris: Speaking of the garden, it's brilliant how director
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Francois Ozan uses it as this metaphor throughout the
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film. Like, you can't just plant something and
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expect it to grow perfectly without dealing with what's already in the
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soil. Right. Just like you can't move forward without
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addressing your past.
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Jessica: Well, that's exactly what makes the poisoned mushroom
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incident so powerful. It's like this perfect
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symbol of how something toxic from the past can suddenly
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emerge and destroy everything you've built.
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Chris: And the way the film handles the relationship between Michelle and her
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daughter Valerie. Oh, man. Ludivine Seigne
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brings such complexity to that role. Here's a
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woman going through a divorce, fighting for custody,
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and yet her hostility toward her mother seems to
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go way beyond normal family tension.
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Jessica: That makes me think about how the film explores different kinds of
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second chances. You've got Vincent,
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who's literally been in prison, and then you've got these
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emotional prisoners like Michelle and Valerie, trapped by
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their past.
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Chris: You know what's really clever about Ozan's direction?
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The way he takes this full hour to build up these
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relationships before he pulls the rug out from under
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us. It's like he's teaching us the same patience
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that Michelle shows in her garden.
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Jessica: The cinematography really adds to that feeling of
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suspense, doesn't it? The way Jerome
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Almeras captures the Burgundy region. All
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those misty mornings and golden afternoons.
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It's like the landscape itself is keeping secrets.
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Chris: Absolutely right. And, um, the way
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the film uses autumn as both setting and metaphor is just
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masterful. It's this time of harvest, but also
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of decay, which perfectly mirrors how these family
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secrets are finally coming to light.
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Jessica: So what do you think about how the film handles the idea of
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judgment. It seems to suggest that
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everyone deserves a second chance. But then it also shows
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how some actions might be unforgivable.
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Chris: That's such a crucial point. Like, Michelle clearly believes
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in redemption, which we see in how she helps Vincent.
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But the film keeps asking us whether some bridges once
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burned, can ever really be rebuilt. And
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what's fascinating is how it refuses to give
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us easy answers.
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Jessica: Well, the performances really sell that moral
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ambiguity. Even the smaller roles like
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Garlin Aerlos as Lucas add to this sense
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that everyone's carrying around their own version of the truth.
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Chris: And that's really what makes this film so powerful.
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It's not just about whether we can escape our past.
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It's about how our secrets shape every
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relationship we have. The way it's
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scored an 8 out of 10 feels right because it's the kind
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of film that stays with you, making you question
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your own judgments and assumptions.
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Jessica: That's why I think it works on so many levels
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as a family drama, as a psychological
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thriller, and as this deeper meditation on forgiveness
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and redemption.
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Chris: You know, in the end, it's like what Michelle's garden teaches
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us. You can't just bury things and expect them
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to disappear. Sometimes they grow into
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something beautiful and sometimes, well,
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sometimes they turn out to be poisonous mushrooms
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that threaten to destroy everything you've built.
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When Fall's Coming is an atmospheric and richly rewarding
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film with a fine attention to detail.
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