Intermittent flashbacks reveal a disturbed André’s borderline-abusive treatment of a young Emmanuelle. “He’s a bad father,” she says at one poignant moment, “but I love him. I love him very much.” Quite a few viewers will relate to that sentiment, I’m sure. Ozon maintains an empathetic, surprisingly light approach for the most part, which both counterbalances the morbidity and intensifies the powerful moments. For example, despite being half-paralyzed and suicidal, André maintains his boisterous personality, snapping at another patient, messing around with the notary, joking in German with the assisted suicide worker, and laughing at a stupid pun (testicles!) after his daughter storms off in distress.
No stranger to eliciting powerful performances from his entire cast, Ozon does it again with Everything Went Finre, with nary a foot stepped wrong. Screen legend Dussolier delivers another formidable, layered, acerbic, vehement, lovable, and tragic performance. His acting could serve as a masterclass of what a thespian can do while confined to a bed and having half his body remain motionless. Marceau, another icon, displays heartbreaking resilience and deep affection despite years of pain.
“…graceful, subdued…”
The sight of André in his hospital cot, both somber about the approaching end and reassured by the presence of his daughters, will linger in the mind long after it’s gone. The bond between the sisters is so real it hurts, and the little moments prove to be the most revealing: the held-back tears, a sudden embrace, an outburst of agony or wit. Other instances resonate with equal force: Emmanuelle unexpectedly kissing someone on the cheek, the family’s last meal, and that finale.
I’m not a huge proponent of flashbacks, and here again, I feel like they serve little purpose aside from over-explaining things. The film would have benefitted from a trimmer running time, which would tighten it around the somewhat meandering edges: it becomes a little one-note after a while, and the antics leading up to that poignant ending are just too much. These are minor niggles in what is otherwise a remarkable feature.
The father’s gradual deterioration makes the entire family face the inevitability of their eventual passing. It happens to all of us, eventually. Our dear ones pass while we’re by their side, and then our children sit by ours as we are warmed by their presence. With Everything Went Fine, Ozon proves he’s one of the handfuls of filmmakers with the ability and experience to portray that cycle in graceful, subdued brushstrokes that never feel too thick or imposing.
"…frequent production of cinematic gems is almost condescending to his peers..."
