- Director : Christian Carion
- Actors : Line Renaud, Dany Boon, Alice Isaaz
- Subtitles: : English
- Studio : Cohen Media Group
- Aspect Ratio : 2.35:1
- MPAA rating : NR (Not Rated)
- Country of Origin : France
- Number of discs : 1
- Media Format : Blu-ray
- Run time : 1 hour and 30 minutes
- Release date : March 19, 2024
There is
something distinctly European about movies where two strangers cross paths and
form a deep connection over a brief period of time. These narratives exist in other
cultures as well, but the French are particularly adept at these slice-of-life
narratives. Or perhaps it is less about the nationality of the filmmakers and
more about the approach to life, because American filmmaker Richard Linklater
built Before Sunrise (1995) and each of its sequels upon this premise,
setting each installment in a different European city. Driving Madeleine
is a distinctly French film about the bond formed between an elderly woman and
her taxi driver on cross-town journey to a nursing home, warmheartedly depicting
the ways in which strangers can have a deep impact on our lives however brief the
encounter.
Charles (Dany
Boon) is a taxi driver whose outlook on the world has been sullied by the
struggles he has been forced to endure. In addition to financial problems troubling
him and his partner (Julie Delarme), Charles is only a few traffic violations
away from losing his license and the ability to provide for his family. Despite
being in a foul mood when he arrives to pick up 92-year-old Madeleine Keller (Line
Renaud), the bond between the two grows as they travel across Paris. With each
stop along the way, Madeleine shares more of her life story with Charles, which
allows him to put his own difficulties into perspective.
The audience is
also permitted into Madeleine’s life experiences, far too often relying on flashbacks
rather than the effective storytelling abilities of Renaud’s character. These
flashbacks elliptically display the highs and lows of Madeleine’s early life as
a beautiful young woman (played by Alice Isaaz). First love imagery fades into
memories of an abusive marriage with a tragic ending. As Charles becomes
engaged in the stories about his passenger’s life, he becomes less concerned with
the impatient need to finish the job. What was intended as a quick drive ends
up being a much-needed detour for both Charles and Madeleine.
Without giving
too much away, I wish there had been a bit more subtlety in the film’s resolution.
When the film is about to end, if you were to guess the most predictably
contrived ending possible, you would be correct in anticipating the way Driving
Madeleine resolves the storyline. This is not to say that it won’t please
audiences looking for a bit of emotional melodrama, but it will disappoint anyone
looking for a bit of nuance in their dramatic entertainment choices. Driving
Madeleine is a crowd-pleaser, but also lacks imagination and subtle themes.
It is only because of the effective lead performances that these shortcomings
will be looked over by many.
The Blu-ray
release of Driving Madeleine by Cohen Media Group comes with a bonus
interview with director Christian Carion (Joyeux Noel) in the special
features. There is also a theatrical trailer.
Entertainment Value:
6/10
Quality of
Filmmaking: 6.5/10
Historical
Significance: 3/10
Special Features: 3/10
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