Directed and written by: Rebecca Zlotowski
Starring: Virginie Efira, Roschdy Zem, Callie Ferreira-Goncalves, Yamee Couture, and Chiara Mastroianni
Runtime: 101 minutes
You’ll gladly accept ‘Other People’s Children’, a nuanced, impactful French romantic drama
“Can’t you see I am getting attached to her?” – Rachel (Virginie Efira)
Rachel has developed healthy attachments in several aspects of her life. This attractive, attentive 30 or 40-something adores her schoolteacher job, her sister, and her father, and Rachel falls for Ali (Roschdy Zem) shortly after their guitar lesson, as the two enjoy a budding romance in Paris.
Ali is a tall, handsome car designer and a divorcee with a four-year-old daughter, Leila (Callie Ferreira-Goncalves). He shares custody with his ex, Alice (Chiara Mastroianni). So, to maintain a relationship with Ali, Rachel willingly accepts – and loves - Leila as a package deal.
Writer/director Rebecca Zlotowski packages and focuses her nuanced, impactful film on her lead. However, Rachel’s current circumstance isn’t unique, as broken marriages and fastened new connections – that come along with kids - are commonplace in 2023. Even though Zlotowski and Efira dive deeply into Rachel’s feelings about positively charging into a new relationship, making earnest attempts to bond with Leila, and facing the cruel realities of her dwindling chances of having a baby of her own, the film’s title addresses a relatable dilemma, broadly speaking, for modern-day audiences. Hence, the movie is called “Other People’s Children”, not “Another Person’s Child”, and Zlotowski’s thoughtful script and Efira’s charismatic and compassionate performance heighten our gaze on Rachel’s quandary while concurrently raising sympathy for others out there in the universe who try to “have it all.”
Set in The City of Light, “Other People’s Children” doesn’t hesitate to embrace its Parisian setting, complete with several street scenes amongst the Haussmann architecture, stops in traditional cafes, and a pop onto the Metro. Now, the film doesn’t bathe in the lavishes of the city as eye candy, like “Before Sunset” (2004) with that movie’s long, leisurely walks on cobblestone streets and a lovely boat ride on the Seine. Ali and Rachel are locals, so this beautiful locale simply sets in the background, and much of the narrative’s critical swathes are spent in living rooms and bedrooms as our couple and child iron out their journey through frank discourse. Fans of French romantic dramas – including this critic – will, no question, feel right at home here and embrace the active, on-the-move pacing as we follow Ali’s, Leila’s, and Rachel’s steps over a couple of years, perhaps a tad longer during the film’s 101-minute runtime.
Through defined milestones and intimate, tender moments, Zlotowski and cinematographer George Lechaptois frequently pause their camera with close-ups on Rachel to soak in her feelings of both joy and dismay. The film’s beating heart is our lead, and Virginie commendably carries this production.
Even though Rachel copes with the aforementioned happenings, the primary roadblock to reach her bliss is gaining complete acceptance as part of Ali and Leila’s family. Rachel is not Leila’s mom; she doesn’t try to replace anyone. Still, she’s forced to exude more effort, more energy, and make more compromises to meet Ali and Leila halfway, and they don’t often meet her in the middle.
It's heartbreaking, mainly because Efira establishes her amiable and winning protagonist from the get-go, whether Rachel goes the extra mile for a troubled student, supports her younger sister, spends time with her aging father, or works to be a Jane Q. Citizen in every aspect of her life.
Still, is it enough?
While our eyes land with constant admiration for Rachel, Zem admirably balances Ali’s duality as a loving partner and an uncomfortable, crowded manager of his two worlds. Harmonizing shared custody and accepting Rachel into every corner of his life proves problematic.
So, will this relationship work?
Do we want it to work?
No matter what, we’ve formed an attachment to Rachel during this film and long after the end credits have rolled.
Jeff’s ranking
3/4 stars
