Almost

"The world is tragic with its diseases, death and the bundle of injustices. Without solidarity, we're heading straight for a wall, that's for sure. Without love, it is impossible to dance happily in the chaos, to see that it is a mess but that there is not necessarily a problem if we roll up our sleeves to work, to build a society that is more just, more human, more united. With all my heart, with Bernard Campan and the whole team, I hope that PRESQUE will give the taste of true joy, the one that is given and shared. We are all progressing, and with the means at hand, we are invited, one step at a time, to take the plunge, to dare a disarming sincerity, a total gift of self, to leave behind all sad passions. - Alexandre Jollien

French cinema hardly surprises us as it tends too often to be either a popular cinema that cruelly lacks quality and originality or it tends to be closer to auteur cinema (much more interesting in our eyes) which would deserve to be given more space in our cinemas that continue to give pride of place to American cinema and its Hollywood blockbusters that can be very successful and entertaining. However, some films totally capture our attention and turn out to be filled with a true love of cinema with a strong and commendable message and above all lead us to reflection. Co-written, co-directed and co-starring Bernard Campan and Alexandre Jollien, Presque is quite simply a great film carried by a fusional and touching duo that succeeds in making us go from laughter to tears with disarming dexterity.  We let ourselves be carried away by this road movie that brings a fresh and new look at disability and simply shows us the beauty of life and its ephemeral side.

Bernard Campan made a name for himself by being part of a humorist group with Didier Bourdon and Pascal Légitimus, which was very popular in the 90s with sketches that have become cult and numerous parodies. Far from being a simple comedian, Bernard Campan has shown a real gift to be as comfortable in dramas as in comedies and has passed several times behind the camera to direct with Didier Bourdon the films of the Inconnus (The Three Brothers (1995), The Bet (1997), The Three Wise Men (2001) and The Three Brothers (2014)) but also a more personal film with The Hidden Face (2007). By sliding towards the drama, he proved to be really gifted to reflect the troubles of our current society and supported with his disabled friend Alexandre Jollien a film about mourning, the integration of disabled people in our society but also about simply finding his place in a society in which communication is increasingly difficult while divisions are formed and thus neglecting people who are different and who can also bring us much. Almost is a constant of a society in which it is necessary to be almost normal, almost alive, and to melt into the mass.

Presque is certainly a film with a simple appearance, but it says a lot about disability, about learning to raise one's head and to enjoy the beautiful moments of life, such as being with friends and family, or with the one who makes your heart beat and who makes you want to get up every morning and continue to live and fight. We meet a funeral director, Louis (Bernard Campan) who seems to live alone and only for his work. Respected by his colleagues, he took over his father's company and developed it. There is no shortage of work, but a curious coincidence puts Igor (Alexandre Jollien), a cerebral palsy sufferer who was born handicapped due to a strangulated umbilical cord. He has had a difficult past, being rejected by his father and having a mother who was unable to really deal with his disability, which led to him being placed in a specialized institution. From the meeting of these two men wounded by life will be born a beautiful friendship under the background of road movie. It would be a bit simplistic to compare this film with the magnificent and unavoidable Rain Man (1988) by Barry Levinson, even though these two films have a lot in common and especially benefit from an excellent and inspired direction and two excellent actors.

One suspects that the actor Alexandre Jollien drew on his experience to write with Bernard Campan a film quite close to the biopic because like his character, Alexandre Jollien is passionate about philosophy and great thinkers. The numerous quotations in this perfectly selected film bring an undeniable added value and question us on the fact of learning to be well in its skin or to live with its many defects and never to give up in spite of the very many disappointments of the life.  We can feel that the real-life friendship between Bernard Campan and Alexandre Jollien has allowed us to give life to a film that always rings true and addresses different themes. This lesson of courage, forgiveness and rebirth gives life to a striking film that will leave no one unmoved. While American cinema has a tendency to show off, the simplicity and love invested in this film is felt every minute. The numerous dialogues are really well done and we will remember two long speeches that make this film a success and absolutely deserves to be seen at the cinema because we will keep images of it for a long time. 

Almost 
Directed by Bernard Campan, Alexandre Jollien
Produced by Philippe Godeau, Matthieu Henchoz
Written by Bernard Campan, Alexandre Jollien, Hélène Grémillon
With Bernard Campan, Alexandre Jollien, Marilyne Canto, La Castou
Music by Niklas Paschburg
Director of photography: Christophe Offenstein
Editing: Annette Dutertre
Production companies: JMH Productions, Pan Européenne
Distributed by Apollo Films (France)
Release date: January 26, 2022 (France)
Running time: 92 minutes

Seen on February 07, 2022 at Gaumont Disney Village, Room 15 seat A19

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