I saw this film as part of the Ghent filmfestival 2011. Given the announcement text, a story like this can either be drowned in dramatic clichés (e.g. tears, name calling and even fights), or it can bring to light what caused the mixed relationships as of this moment, eventually leading to new horizons. I was relieved that the latter was the case, a job well done as delivered by this debuting director.
The 104 minutes that this film takes, are well spent and developments are evenly spread over this time frame. What mostly impressed me is that all family members get the chance to be properly introduced at well chosen moments, so that we get a clear picture about where each member stands. And all of them have their purpose in the story line when subsequent events come by. A lot of things happened in the past and are relived during this reunion, all of these potentially bringing new reasons for yelling at each other and slamming some doors, to never meet again.
An observer may try to stay neutral, but is bound to get involved in the proceedings. The very least you'll do is imagining how a similar reunion would work out in your own family. No doubt that your past includes some things that are best forgotten, but others will remember nevertheless and hold it against you. And vice versa, no doubt. Though the commune is rather an unusual element, the core of this film is not far-fetched and very realistic.
All in all, I gave a score of 5 (out of 5) for the audience award when leaving the theater. Good actors, nice dialogs, story well told, and I saw some useful sub-plots that did not cloud the issue. Two examples of the latter are the last words of the father (heard by one son, who bluntly refuses to pass them on), and the unexplained death of a child (many years ago, but still unclear who is to blame). Both sub-plots kept us wondering what's behind it, and it took some time before we learned both to be necessary ingredients for the finale. That's all in the game of a perfect film script.
