Pauvres petits chagrins

The most beautifully written piece I've seen in a very long time. And splendid acting by all...especially Mare Winninham and Alison Pill. Surprising humor considering the dark subject matter.

This isn't a fun watch, but it is profoundly good, honest cinema. The subject matter is emotionally complex. The performances by Sarah Gadon, Alison Pill, and Mare Winningham are compelling. Lesser actors would not have been able to express the complexity of the feelings with such directed intent.

The movie isn't perfect. At 103 minutes, the movie isn't all that long, but there are some editing choices that could have made for a better pace. There are multi-minute segments that drag a little bit. Honestly, I think the movie would have been fine if the last eleven minutes were edited out.

That said, this is a good movie if you are in the mood to feel some melancholy.

This is not a film for everyone. It moves at a slow burn. It addresses the repeated tragedy of suicide in a family. It lets its story rest in its characters. The heartbeats are daily struggle, silent moments, deep bonds and literate musings. If it were not for the extraordinary talents of the cast this film would lose its footing but there is great talent here. I give this film an 8 (masterfully performed) out of 10. {Drama}

Yoli (Alison Pill) is having something personal issues. She has teenage daughter Nora (Amybeth McNulty) and is getting divorced. Her sister Elf (Sarah Gadon) tried to kill herself. Lottie (Mare Winningham) is her mother. Jake (Donal Logue) is her father. Her beloved aunt Tina (Mimi Kuzyk) has a heart attack. The family is Canadian Mennonite.

Michael McGowan is the writer and director. It's adapted from a novel by Miriam Toews. It's obviously coming from personal experiences. It's not a movie of action or thrills or even plot points. It is a movie of personal drama. Alison Pill delivers a varied powerful performance. She has her cry moments, anger moments, and comedic moments which she is apt to do. One must be aware however that this movie is not a mover.

Sometimes letting go of grief is worse than the grief itself, for in letting go we risk losing this part of our true selves and our life experience. In other words, punting the ball down the field does not help in dealing with and defeating what ails the psyche. We must grapple with it and pull through.

Sisters Yoli and Elf struggle to deal with the depression and doubt that plagues their family and lives. Suffering seems to be inherited for them. Elf, a concert pianist, tried to kill herself and intends to try again. Yoli attempts to convince her sister to stay alive, but Yoli is not a model of healthy living herself and faces a nearly impossible task. Society conspires against the sisters too in that its focus is on shame and profits rather than truth and healing. There is hope for the sisters, and others in the same boat, in that life is always teaching lessons, and there is so much to learn, and so much that is beautiful.

All My Puny Sorrows is moody and emotional like its characters. There are sudden shifts in focus. For all the dark moments, there are others full of light and laughter. At times the actors struggle with the heavy themes around depression and suicide, but the authenticity of the story shines through such faults. I treasured the reasons for living that Yoli found in this heartfelt and candid story. "I used to wake up in the morning singing," said Yoli. If only we all could do more things like this. And quote more poetry. Awareness replacing ignorance, empathy for others over convenience, and truth before profit and fear. Watching Yoli, Elf, and their loved ones deal with the grief gives me hope for the world. We are supposed to help each other after all.

World premiere seen at the Toronto international film festival. Film based on a novel by Miriam Toews.