A La Place Du Coeur - Film Review

Marseillais director Robert Guediguian (Marius Et Jeanette) returns with another moving portrait of blue-collar life in his home city. Based on James Baldwin’s novel If Beale Street Could Talk, A La Place Du Coeur is narrated by pregnant 16-year-old Clim (Raoust), whose black boyfriend Bebe (Gou) is in prison on a rape charge. Intent on persuading the victim to withdraw her testimony, Clim’s mother (Ascaride) journeys to Bosnia, while back in Marseilles, Bebe’s father Franck (Meyan) struggles to cope with the strain of the case.

Flashing backwards and forwards in time, Guediguian treats every character with compassion, handling the various ‘issues’ – racism, alcoholism, unemployment – with a refreshing lightness of touch. Poignant performances, vivid images and the Liszt score help ensure that the struggles of these ‘ordinary people’ acquire a heroic dimension.