35 Shots of Rum (2008)

35 Shots of Rum (2008)

A father and daughter must find a way to move on in this bittersweet drama from Claire Denis

8.6

Movie

France, Germany
French, German
Drama
2008
CLAIRE DENIS, FEMALE DIRECTOR
Adèle Ado, Alex Descas, Djédjé Apali
100 min

What it's about

Lionel, a widower, has raised his daughter, Josephine, on his own since she was young. The two are used to living alone, depending solely on one another. But, now that Josephine is older, Lionel is beginning to realize they cannot stay isolated forever.

The take

This bittersweet film about a father and a daughter marks one of the more tender spots in Claire Denis’ brilliant filmography. Frequent collaborator Alex Descas plays Lionel (the father), while Mati Diop, now a director in her own right, plays Josephine (the daughter.) The film captures the two at a crossroads, with their closely-knit relationship tested as Josephine grows closer to her boyfriend, and Lionel must face the possibility of finally letting her go.

A melancholy lingers in the air as we learn more about their lives and the small community of neighbors and coworkers in their orbit. Meanwhile, the film's climax holds a mesmerizing sequence set to the Commodores’ Nightshift, which has to rank as one of the best needle drops in cinema from a director who already has an all-timer under her belt. (see. Beau Travail)

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