Though it has yet to play in England - indeed it may well be one of the many excellent French films that never make it across La Manche - the title has been translated as The Sense Of Wonder and it's not that far off the mark and it's not too difficult to envision writer- director Eric Besnard saying to himself 'let's start with a feelgood movie and work upwards' in an unconscious parody of Sam Goldwyn. What in fact he does start with is a lyrical rural setting in which we find a young, comely widow, living with her two young children. Within minutes, whilst distracted, she hits a young man with her car and although he is able to get up and walk unaided she takes it upon herself to tend to him. It is soon apparent that the man, although essentially harmless, does have 'issues' and this is where the film begins to resemble Eleanor Faucher's beautiful debut movie Brodeuses in that the two protagonists, whether they know and/or acknowledge it or not, are engaged in the process of mutual healing. Whilst a notch or two below Brodeuses - for one thing it lacks Ariane Ascaride - it is, nevertheless a fine, lyrical effort virtually guaranteed to put a smile on your lips and a tear in your eye.
Review of The Sense of Wonder
