The Little Room

Edmond's (Michel Bouquet) heart may be weak, but his stubbornness is all the stronger. Although his son can no longer care for him as career and love drive him to America, the old man vehemently refuses to move into a nursing home. But he also categorically refuses the help of young nurse Rose (Florence Loiret-Caille). But Rose, who has just returned to professional life from a break caused by a severe stroke of fate, doesn't give up so easily. Edmond doesn't give in either at first, but after a serious fall he is forced to accept Rose's help. And when his son tries to send him to a nursing home after all, this help takes on unexpected forms.

The Oscar-nominated drama The Little Room is a very quiet film that tells its moving story with rather minimal means, both dramaturgically and directorially. However, it is perhaps effective precisely for that reason. The unusual relationship between Edmond and Rose gets by without many words. The reasons for Edmond's caginess and his insistence on staying in his apartment become clear even without long explanations. The same goes for why Rose throws herself into helping Edmond in such a way. Sure, everything is said, but at most moments, directors and screenwriters Stéphanie Chuat and Véronique Reymond let the images or the actors' facial expressions do the talking.

Sure, at times the staging can seem a little unwieldy or strained. But these are only minor exceptions. The bottom line is that The Little Room is fine, very touching arthouse cinema, with a wonderful Michel Bouquet and a convincing Florence Loiret-Caille. And although the last scene disappoints a little due to its predictability and almost threatens to drift into the kitschy, in the end a positive overall impression remains, which makes this drama a real recommendation for all program cinema lovers. Worth seeing

An article by Frankfurt-Tipp