When you talk about Manuel Poirier, one of the new talented French film-makers of the nineties, you inevitably think about one of his movies: "Western", an excellent French road-movie. However, you mustn't forget that this beautiful movie, "Marion" was launched a few months before "Western".
The action is unfolding in the French country, more precisely in Normandy. Besides, Poirier seems deeply attached to the country because most of his movies take place there. One quality of this movie: the French country is very well depicted: green under a shiny sky. The story, so far: Marion, a ten year-old little girl, settle in Normandy, in a tiny country house with her parents which living conditions are very modest. Her parents strike a friendship up with a well-off Parisian couple. These last ones, and especially the wife, befriend Marion and they would like to adopt her. But for this, they'll have to try to convince her parents...
Poirier must have been inspired by a Maupassant's short story called: "aux champs". The principle of this short story is very similar to the movie: a middle-class couple wish to adopt a child who comes from a peasant family and they try to persuade his parents. It's nearly the same situation in the movie.
Anyway, what Poirier tries to put forward is the confrontation and the contrast between the two families. Both live in harmony even if it's hard for them to understand themselves. You can also notice that Marion's parents feel a little ill-at-ease when they're invited to the Parisian couple. Besides, in the Parisian couple, the husband, in spite of his affection to Marion tends to be mistrustful and a bit distant to her parents.
Poirier proceeds by little touches to describe the confrontation. It's just a pity that he leaves several sequences high and dry and abortive. Nevertheless, the set gives a slight and charming man and enjoys a good performance from all the actors. To begin with Coralie Têtard, delightful in the role of Marion.
