All or Nothing (2002)
In the vein of the previous, this Mike Leigh film is a great example of British “kitchen-sink” Cinema at its finest. Sure, this genre is not cheery but quite depressing by nature as it frequently offers us raw and real glimpses of the lives and struggles of the proletariat. All Or Nothing paints the lives of ordinary Londoners living in a building where, often, members of the same household support an entire community as essential workers. It focuses on one family with the daughter working in a nursing home, the father is a taxi driver, and the mother is a grocery cashier. Oh, and they also have a son with unmanageable rage issues making it even harder for the family to find peace outside of their overwhelming jobs! It is a remarkable movie with nuanced acting from the likes of Timothy Spall, Lesley Manville, and being one of the first roles of Sally Hawkins and wait for it…James Corden!
The Death of Mr. Lazarescu (2005)
Renowned Romanian director Cristi Puiu blessed us with this dark comedy inspired by a true story and his own experience. The film carries an important message about the state of the health service seen through the eyes of a suffering (and maybe drunk!) man spending his whole night being switched between various hospitals with the help of a dedicated paramedic. The ambulance team’s commitment to do their job right is, at times, heartening and, at other times, makes way for hilarious exchanges. Anyone who spent hours waiting in medical offices or ER due to non-life threatening conditions might relate to the predicaments of the eponymous Lazarescu.
Arrhythmia (2017)
This fast-paced powerful Russian drama by Boris Khlebnikov is a perfect illustration of how hectic the life of EMTs can be and the emotional toll their career can take on them. The protagonist is a young “feisty” yet devoted paramedic trying to not only save lives but be compassionate. In doing so, he has to go against the grain, break some (nonsensical) rules, and put at risk his relationship with his wife, an overworked staff at the local ER.
Give Me Liberty (2019)
This independent dramedy by Kirill Mikhanovsky is following a goodhearted medical driver on a hectic day. Wanting to help, or please all people he comes in contact with, he will fill his van with colorful characters. Mostly featuring non-professional actors and with genuine dialogues, Give Me Liberty could look like a documentary, but it is an entertaining movie that finds levity in dramatic situations. It knows how to take advantage of unfortunate moments by turning them into inspiring and fun ones, reminding us to do the same.
System Crasher (2019)
German director Nora Fingscheidt’s feature debut is an astonishing film with raw energy, overwhelming intensity, and a powerhouse performance by its tiny yet powerful lead Helena Zengel (a major Oscar snub IMO!). She plays a young girl with traumas and unmeasurable anger-issues. She is considered a “system crasher” by various social establishments and specialists unable to help manage her circumstance. We follow her tragic journey as several workers are doing their best using various methods to give her a better future. Inspired by the filmmaker’s former documentary about social institutions, it is a tour de force that, like the urgent work of many in those institutions, cannot be ignored.
Short Term 12 (2013)
This acclaimed drama is based on the life of its director, Destin Daniel Cretton, who worked with at-risk teenagers. He first made a short film, then this feature set in a foster-care facility where young counselors do their best to take care of the many residents. Viewers get to see how difficult it is to navigate this environment and how challenging and crucial their jobs are as many kids need more help than they can provide. Not only the story is excellent, but it brought us a great indie cast of award-winners-to-be running after runaway kids! It was the feature debut of Lakeith Stanfield, Brie Larson’s breakthrough performance, and also features Rami Malek, John Gallagher Jr., Kaitlyn Dever, and Stephanie Beatriz.
Pursuit of Loneliness (2012)
Laurence Thrush’s black-and-white drama about what happens to someone when they die with no next-of-kin is an inspiring film. It shines a light on how many essential professionals come together and interact with a common goal. Pursuit of Loneliness intermittently follows the person and their “file” going from nurses to public administrators hoping to find relatives. Their important investigative work, in a way, makes sure the deceased rest in peace. It is quite a fascinating story and, if you are not familiar with this process, the film gives an authentic insight by hiring real professionals to play their own fictional roles.
The Fool (2014)
This phenomenal Russian film by Yuri Bykov is about a plumber and all-around repairman called to fix a broken pipe in a crumbling public housing tower, but he will have to do much more. Perfectly setting the scenery from the first two scenes, The Fool gradually becomes an intense drama with a fundamental message about the fact that, sometimes, it takes only one act of bravery to avoid tragedy. Our plumber here is depicted as a real hero, but no one takes him seriously, not even his disillusioned mother accusing him of being a “raving of a lunatic” because he is “just a plumber”… The powerful and very metaphorical film about how socialism made places for capitalism, injustices, and corruption, is a must-see. In the vein of Parasite, it shows what went wrong with modern societies. So, not only The Fool finally offers us an essential repairman as a hero, but it is a fine little gem of foreign Cinema that demands to be seen.
Kenny (2006)
Another movie about a plumber because well, all those “essentially” hoarded TP have to go somewhere… Plumbers deserve more recognition, especially since plumbing in our industrialized countries is an essential need, so what better way to honor them than watching Kenny! The eponymous fictionalized plumber is doing a job considered one of the most ungratifying, and yet, still loves it and is proud of making the world go around. It is so rare to see this on screen, but this Australian mockumentary by Clayton Jacobson about a plumber specialized in waste management and portable toilets did it right – Also, wait for that SATISFYING ENDING!
