When I think of French cinema, I always think of the weird and wonderful films they have produced but lately I’ve loved the more recently produced family-based films.
Just to Be Sure is one of these family films and tells the story of Erwan (François Damiens) a bomb-disposal expert, his pregnant daughter Juliette (Alice de Lencquesaing) and his father Bastien (Guy Marchand).
After a DNA test Erwan learns Bastien isn’t his biological father, leaving him baffled and asking the question; who is his real father?
Thanks to a local private detective, Erwan discovers that his real father, Joseph Levkine (André Wilms) lives nearby. After a hilariously inconspicuous scene of Erwan stalking his biological father he introduces himself and soon falls for his charm.
During all of this Erwan is also dealing with his pregnant daughter who refuses to tell him who is the father of her baby. He also meets the local doctor Anna (Cécile de France) who he begins to fall for.
Writer/Director Carine Tardieu has done a wonderful job on this film keeping the audience on their toes with twists and turns and amazing transitions from scene to scene.
I loved Tardieu’s use of metaphors throughout the film such as the significance of Erwan’s job of disposing of bombs.
“I wanted to symbolise that idea, that when you dig into your past, going to the origins, you risk unveiling secrets that are potentially… explosive,” said Tardieu.
The other metaphor that really stuck with me was the shots of seahorses in the film as they are the only male animals to go through pregnancy. This significance was also reflected in the film as Juliette was the only mother in the film who hadn’t left or died.
Just to Be Sure is a wonderful film that weaves parenthood, love and family together through the generations and I would recommend it to anyone who wants a love story that also manages to make you laugh.
In Cinemas Boxing Day.
