All the way with Olivier

Olivier Olivier

Written and directed by Agnieszka Holland

Exclusive Melbourne Season at Cinema Nova

Reviewed by Elle Morrell

Inspired by a report in a newspaper, Agnieszka Holland has provided a powerful portrayal of an intriguing story dealing with family relationships. The plot centres on the son, Olivier, who disappears one day when he's nine. When he is brought back to the family at 15, his sister is sceptical that he is the same Olivier. This provides a suspenseful edge.

The peculiarities of the Duval family and the strong characters make Olivier Olivier. The mysteries around Olivier are secondary.

The film is set in idyllic French countryside. The serenity of golden wheat fields and quaint old farmhouses contrasts with the intensity of the relationships. Elisabeth Duval — mother to Olivier and daughter Nadine and wife to Serge, a veterinarian — is a tormented character.

The film opens on her obsessive and very dependent relationship with her young son. When she puts the children to bed, she sits beside Olivier and sings, and then goes to give Nadine a perfunctory kiss. Nadine doesn't complain. She can't, for she shares the same obsession. When Olivier is kicked out of their parents' bed, he crawls in with her. Meanwhile, Serge is worried that Olivier will turn into a "poof".

The dysfunction of the family is hidden until Olivier disappears. Elisabeth goes to the brink of madness, blaming everyone else for his disappearance. The father takes a job in Africa to get away from Elisabeth's suffocating anguish and violent outbursts. Nadine decides to stay and look after her mother; in the men's absence, their relationship becomes very intimate and dependent.

When Olivier is returned, the father also comes back to the family. It seems that they find their peculiar happiness only by torturing each other emotionally.

The film is filled with ambiguities and insights. In the background is Serge's relationship with his mother, one racked with guilt. The relationship between Elisabeth and her children has incestuous overtones. There is a classic male bonding scene between Serge and the older Olivier over a six-year-old bottle of wine. It ends with Serge spewing uncontrollably over the side of his bed but with a satisfaction at finally defining a relationship with his son, who has always been his wife's domain.

The movie packs many surprises; you're never quite sure what to expect. It combines mystery, love, drama and lighter comical twists. It is emotionally demanding to watch; just when you think nothing else could go wrong, the script piles added complications into the Duvals' story.

Holland has tried to fit too much in, to the detriment of really developing all the different themes. The question of dependency to the point of obsession within the family is fascinating, but is taken out of any social context. The incestuous relationships that develop are just accepted and never explored. Weird twists are added but never developed, as when Nadine takes a page from Stephen King and Exorcist-like shows off telekinetic powers by setting fire to furniture and moving objects about.

But this movie is well worth seeing. The actors carry off the complex characters in a convincing and stylish manner. Beautifully constructed scenes will remain in your mind for days. Holland's last movie, Europa Europa won many awards and sent shock waves throughout Germany. I would be surprised if this does not also stir up a spirited reaction.

From GLW issue 117