The Barbarian Invasions (2003) Remy is a dying man. In his final days his estranged son Sebastian tries to make those days more comfortable. Old friends and lovers will come together to try and ease his passage. Along the way the divisions between generations of Quebecois are explored as well. Left wing parents and their capitalist children clash over the past, religion and virtually anything else. Meanwhile the older generation ponders life and mortality.
The result is a fascinating comedy/drama that took home the 2004 Oscar for "Best Foreign Language Film". Turns out it is the second movie of a loose trilogy by director Denys Arcand. The first movie came 17 years before "The Decline of the American Empire" and was followed three years later by "Days of Darkness".
Think of this as "The Big Chill" 30 years later with a Gallic flair. The plot is unsurprising but that's fine because this is a movie about character. Of the dying reprobate Remy. His materialist son and cynical if still loving ex-wife. His son's finacee who doesn't believe in romantic love. The mistresses. The friends. The heroin addicted daughter of one of the mistresses. The daughter who is only with them in videos because she is sailing the Pacific (one of those very short videos may have been the most shattering scene in the whole movie for me). They are rich and nuanced and human. They are also imperfect. Their imperfections drew them together and in large part the story is about celebrating those imperfections. Together they create a fabulous movie. It's a stunning achievement.
Rating - ***** Own It
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