Philippe Lioret is a sound middle-of-the-road filmmaker; he doesn't do precious or pretentious and it's doubtful if the academics who genuflect to Godard will ever find him worth even a footnote. On the other hand if you enjoy thoughtful, well-crafted stories well directed and acted he's your man. He gave us a top of the line Chick Flick in Mademoiselle in which Sandrine Bonnair's sales rep encountered Jacque Gamblin's jobbing actor _ he was part of the entertainment at a sales conference - and spent a bittersweet twenty four hours with him before returning to her life; Lioret used Bonnaire again in L'Equippier and once again she was on the business end of a one night stand, this time with Gregori Derangere but the film also addressed the impact of the outsider on a small close-knit community. He scores heavily again in this one - it translates roughly as I'm Fine, Don't Worry About Me and Melanie Laurent is outstanding as a young girl (19) who comes back from holiday to find that her twin brother, Loic, has walked out of the house in the wake of a row with his father. The parents make light of this but she was very close to her brother as twins often are and winds up with clinical depression. When she recovers she moves heaven and earth to find him but it is, alas, never going to happen despite the postcards he keeps sending her telling her not to worry. It's Julien Boissoilier, in yet another fine performance, who inadvertently stumbles on the truth which I won't reveal as the film was only released today. Suffice it to say this is one to see again.
Review of Don't Worry, I'm Fine
