This film is OK in that it shows well acted relationships and stunning visuals. The plot is rather well, full of small things to keep interest up. The ex wife (Élizabeth) and his 2nd husband are perfect as those people who simply live to bother... Note that she's complaining most of the movie :). One of her first phrases (in front of his ex) is: "T'es vraiment nul!". Voilá! I didn't like the son (Malo), the object of desire and fights of his parents, much. Maybe he took after the mother :)! I found it interesting that he's already a manipulator, knows how to bother his dad: "It's true what mum says: you're a good for nothing!" just when a little something isn't perfect. He also exaggerates to make his mum upset at his dad, and his smile when both men fight is telling...
I liked the Stéphane Freiss character (dad). Emotional, bohemian but ready to change and have doubts. A sensitive soul, but he does indeed try to be a good dad in spite of the trick he's been subjected to.
The characters I most liked are the Corsican ones. The friend who lodges him, his soeur Savéria (Anne Caillon!), probably too beautiful for the role of "medicin de campagne", but full of Emotional IQ, and socially driven (not everybody raises a blinding girl that's not yours, I guess). The girl is VERY good, she conveys some sadness, but is natural. We all know about appalling "little actors". This one is fine, thou. This reminds me that Malo even lies to her (and she's sick). No wonder the meaning of his name in Spanish :).
And the "witch" Mafalda, a living testimony, as well as the religious ceremony with men with masks and the ancestral superstitions, that the past is still present in Europe. The secondary characters like his brother "Nicholas" and his wife, who can be snappy but are well meaning, are OK.
The portrait of a society like Corsica, harbour of outlaws, sunny and forgiving, is what I mostly learned from this film. The place "U cavallo" is cool as a rustic little town. The music is so bad that I'm having nightmares over it :(! They basically repeat only one melody, over and over...
I liked the ending a lot! Not your classic Hollywood, I can only say: "actions have consequences", even if the original intentions were long over.
Overall, a surprising, refreshing movie if a bit predictable (not the ending!).
