On My Way (2013)

about family. about the discover of the nuances of past. about ages and links and duty ad a road to yourself. about forms of joy, nostalgia, understanding of reality and humor. special humor. Catherine Deneuve is herself. master of exploration of the levels of role, giving more than a splendid job but a delicate homage to the force and fragility of an age, proposing a trip in the essence of appearances and the way to reconquest the lost time. a film who impress. for the science of director to present, in convincing manner, a story of every day, exploring each significance. for the young actor performance. for the moments of trip. for emotion. and, sure, for the transformation of Bettie. beautiful. and useful.

Quintessentially French in almost every way, from the extended stare shots to an abundance of cigarette smoke and, of course, numerous mental breakdowns from a character vainly trying to find her place in the universe, Emmanuelle Bercot's (Backstage) road trip dramedy On My Way has all the stylings of a heartfelt foreign gem, but never fleshes out the very promising relationships forged by its cast, opting instead for mediocrity through melodrama.The inarguable highlight is the performance of Catherine Deneuve, one-time sex kitten turned French film royalty, who – still stunning in her late sixties – keeps the film rolling with her dedicated, complex portrayal of Bettie, an aimless restaurant owner who tries to stitch up her frayed relationship with daughter Muriel (singer-songwriter Camille) by taking her grandson, the flamboyant Charly (Nemo Schiffman) on a cross-country road trip.Like most car-buddy films, the reward lies in the journey, not the destination. On My Way runs into both peaks and troughs in this area, with some moments deftly illustrating the different worlds Bettie and her grandson come from (especially touching is the pair sharing terrible Chinese food in a two-star motel while discussing love and loss), while others leave you demanding Charly cop a smack around the head from his decidedly pushover grandma.When Bettie finally delivers Charly to the mansion of his estranged grandfather – now the mayor of a remote country village – the film's loose ends struggle to catch up to an ambitious ending that unfortunately closes on a whimper, not a bang. On My Way is a pleasant ride, sure, just not a memorable one. *There's nothing I love more than a bit of feedback, good or bad. So drop me a line on [email protected] and let me know what you thought of my review. If you're looking for a writer for your movie website or other publication, I'd also love to hear from you.*

This movie takes a classic storyline and puts a new shine on it. Catherine Deneuve's ageless beauty and humanity shine through as she wanders unfamiliar country - geographically and emotionally - searching for herself and finding that and much more. Always important to success in film is putting together a cast that works, and this film is no exception. Where did they find the "farmer"? What a great side story, and it only added to the main theme. Gerard Garouste and Camille were particularly excellent in support. Some of the film's little side conflicts seemed too conveniently resolved; but they served to flesh out the relationships and that was really what caught my interest in the film anyway.

Meandering but always on target account of Granny and one time Miss Brittany Catherine, exasperated by the problems of her small town life to the point of getting into the car and driving across France, only to get caught up in the dramas of her daughter, needing her to supervise the grandson who she has to shuffle to his already ticked off paternal grandfather - and we end up with yet another out of doors meal.Though it avoids the touristy locations this one is a remarkable non judgmental cross section of 21st Century France, peopled by vivid characters just short of real. Deneuve continues to find vehicles which show off her stellar presence.