Touches You

Expected more

I really wanted to like this movie. I feel terribly cynical trashing it, and that's why I'm giving it a middling 5. Actually, I'm giving it a 5 because there were some superb performances.

Very good movie overall, highly recommended. Most of the negative reviews don't have any merit and are all pollitically based. Give this movie a chance at least, and it might give you a different perspective.

Jean and Ferdinand Rezeau lived an idyllic life in her grandmother's large estate in Brittany. The children's parents, Paule and Jacques, had gone to Indochine. Jacques, a fly collector, was easily manipulated by the domineering Paule. The children spent years without physical contact with their parents. After the death of the matriarch, the Rezeaus must return to France to assume their parental duties.A big change is in store for everyone in the estate. When the parents arrive, Jean and Ferdinand get a big surprise as the parents introduce their brother, Marcel, someone the siblings knew nothing about. Paule, ridiculous stingy woman begins making changes in the household. She even confiscate Jean and Ferdinad's personal possessions. Jean, who is a rebel, clashes with his mother. Paule, in turn, focuses all her energies into making Jean's life impossible. Jean made a discovery about his new brother which was to be a dark secret of her mother's life in Saigon.Philippe De Broca, the director of this film, based on a novel by Herve Bazin, also adapted it for the screen with Olga Vincent. It was supposed to have been the first part of a trilogy, which alas, never took place as the director died without getting his wish. The book was adapted for French television in what was supposed to be a much better adaptation. One has seen terrible mothers on the screen before, but Paule Rezeau is one of the meanest woman ever shown in films.Catherine Frot, a wonderful actress played her to the point that runs into almost a caricature of the horrible character she was asked to play. Perhaps M. De Broca wanted to go for that larger than life rendition for Paule. Jacques Villaret, who is seen as Jacques, on the other hand, has a much better time playing second fiddle to his domineering wife. Child actor Jules Sitruk does a marvelous job as Jean.

Vipere au poing is one of the classics of French literature. It is studied at school, and I defy any person who starts to read it to finish it unscathed. It is the story of the relentless hate of a mother towards her children. It shows that the aim of her life is to destroy their spirits, to break their wills. And there is no happy ending, she really hates them.To be able to play this "tour de force" you need a first class actress. I admire very much Catherine Frot, but unfortunately for her, I had seen before a first version of this book, filmed for the French television in the 70s, and Mrs Sapritch made this role hers for life, at least for me. It did not stop me from also buying this film in DVD, as it is always interesting to see how two different set of actors, 30 years apart, manage around the same idea. So, my advice is see them both and make your mind up. Regretfully, the 70s version is only available in French and in region 2 (Europe) DVD.

I love the book "Vipère Au poing" by Hervé Bazin, it is one of my favorite book. I think the adaptation is a pretty good film on its own but it lacked certain things. Catherine Frot played well her part but was not as cold and cruel in the film that Folcoche was in the book. The main difference is that it seems like the director of this film tries to make excuses for Folcoche's behavior. Important scenes were changed such as the last scene in the book was different from the same scene done in the film. Otherwise, the film was really well done. Jules Sitruk played Brasse-Bouillon fantastically. I loved the subtle references to Hervé Bazin's work. The music was very dramatic and I liked Brasse-Bouillon's voice-over. Overall, the movie was entertaining but the book is a lot better of course.

Although not generally a fan of turn-of-the-century reconstitutions, I admit to rather enjoying this film because of its plastic beauty, sets, dialogues and choice of actors. I am a great fan of both Jacques Villeret and Cathérine Frot, because they both have curious and instantly recognizeable faces as well as orally attractive accents when they speak. The film, a childhood biography illustrating the incomprehension between a mother and her children, comprises a fair number of scrumptious dialogues, comic situations, and well filmed sets. The theme music too is not unpleasant and blends in well with the events. The "voice-off" technique is used - for me this is very reassuring and puts me straight into the story - in cases where this technique is NOT used, I sometimes waste a certain amount of time around the beginning wondering exactly what is going on and asking questions about the identity of each character. Of course Cathérine Frot, such a nice lady in real life, gives a remarkable performance as a domineering, heartless and vicious mother, especially with her two older children. Jacques Villeret, softer and more gentler does provide her with some support but is not as radical as his ideas. There are comic situations in the film, especially where Jules Sitruk is telling off God for having let his grandma die and asking him not to make the same mistake again and let his mother die asap because he hates her. He also has a thing going about the quantity of chocolate he is nibbling while praying and how much God should be letting him eat. Technical details of the film show that it was in part filmed in the UK, purportedly in the Dorset area, although the novel is set in the Nantes area close to Brittany. Certainly worth a watch, available on DVD in France with French only subtitles, the film will appeal to those who like filmed Novels and period pieces from the beginning of the 20th century onwards.