The First Day of the Rest of Your Life (2008)

Not Recommended

France

Feature Film

Original Title: Le premier jour du reste de ta vie

Writer/Director: Rémi Bezançon

Cinematographer: Antoine Monod

Composer: Sinclair

Cast: Jacques Gamblin, Zabou Breitman, Déborah François, Marc-André Grondin, Pio Marmaï, Roger Dumas, Cécile Cassel, Stanley Weber, Sarah Cohen-Hadria, Camille De Pazzis, Aymeric Cormerais

Depicting five momentous days (between 1990 and 2000) in the life of an average lower middle class family – encompassing a marriage, a loss of virginity, a few deaths, numerous fights, and an air guitar competition(!) – Bezançon’s film, though well played, quite likeable, and generally diverting, is a decidedly uneven, occasionally trite, and often heavy-handed family comedy-drama, (bonus points for including two Blossom Dearie songs on the soundtrack, though).

Iain.Stott