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Review
In this conventional French drama, Steve Suissa tells his own real-life story of how he
managed to overcome family pressure and self-doubt to pursue his dream of becoming an
actor. Whilst the film runs a little too predictably, lacking originality in both
the script and its realisation, it is an effective first film from Suissa, who at least
manages to keep his audience interested in the subject of his film. Although the
story is a familiar one, it is told with sincerity and good humour, with scarcely a whiff
of false sentimentality.
The pleasure of seeing an excellent cast
perform well more than outweighs the film’s shortcomings in other areas. Most
impressive is Clément Sibony, whose engaging and believable performance effortlessly
carries the film. A promising young talent (with no doubt a great future ahead
of him), Sibony has a rare gift for getting his audience to share in his emotions, and
his portrayal of an aspiring young actor is both sympathetic and credible.
The contributions from Isabelle Carré and Steve Suissa (and, indeed, most of the
cast) are almost as praiseworthy, and are certainly well above average for a run-of-the-mill
drama. Overall, L’Envol is an attractive little film which, despite
its simplicity, offers a satisfying alternative to the more demanding dramas French cinema
has given us in recent years.
© James Travers 2004
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Director:
Steve Suissa
Starring: Clément Sibony, Isabelle Carré, Christine Citti, Marc Samuel, Léopoldine Serre Synopsis
Stan is a Jewish lad living in Paris’ 9th arrondissement. His ambition is
to become an actor, but his parents have already decided that he will work in the family
butcher’s business. When a friend of his dies in a street brawl, Stan takes
matters into his own hands: he gives up school, leaves his parents and takes up drama
lessons. He is supported by Julie, a young woman who shares his dreams, and his
uncle Joseph, who has alienated himself from his family for wanting to marry a non-Jew.
Stan soon discovers that getting his first acting job is far more difficult than he had
anticipated…
Credits
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