Plot
One day, a bad fall forces Edmond to accept Rose's help. Eventually, the two grow closer. The young woman finds relief in confiding painful memories to the older man; things she cannot even... See full summary »
Release Year: 2010
Rating: 6.9/10 (132 voted)
Critic's Score: /100
Director: Stéphanie Chuat
Stars: Florence Loiret Caille, Michel Bouquet, Éric Caravaca
Storyline
One day, a bad fall forces Edmond to accept Rose's help. Eventually, the two grow closer. The young woman finds relief in confiding painful memories to the older man; things she cannot even bring herself to tell her husband. Meanwhile, Edmond, too, opens up, sharing recollections of his beloved wife.
Writers: Stéphanie Chuat, Véronique Reymond
Cast: Florence Loiret Caille -
Rose
Michel Bouquet -
Edmond
Éric Caravaca -
Marc
Joël Delsaut -
Jacques
Valérie Bodson -
Bettina
Fabienne Barraud -
Infirmière cheffe
Frédéric Landenberg -
Collègue Marc
Antonio Buíl -
Danseur club salsa
Paulin Jaccoud -
Maxime
Iannis Jaccoud -
Tobias
Paul Mayoraz -
Nicolas
Claudine Pelletier -
La mère de Rose
Marc Olinger -
Le père de Rose
Pierre Mifsud -
Médecin urgences
Piera Honegger -
Vendeuse supérette
The Little Room (2010) delivers a heart warming story in no nonsense
terms without fanfare. The entire concept is elegant. The central
character, Rose, a nurse (Florence Loiret Caille) prematurely returns
to work after a personal neonatal tragedy. On her rounds as community
nurse one of her new patients is Edmond (Michael Bouquet) now is in his
eighties. Circumstances bring the two into closer contact more
frequently so that an unlikely rich bond of friendship gradually but
steadily ensues.
Far from being the easiest of clients for Rose, Edmond is a man, who
having lost his beloved wife some 40 years earlier, has only his
unloving and unsupportive son Jacques (Joel Delsaut) to call 'family'.
For Edmond, a diabetic, life holds few surprises or joys and
understandably he is undisturbed at the idea of giving up on the will
to live. Somewhat cruelly, Jacques intends his father be taken into
care so that he may start afresh in New York. That is Edmond's likely
fate until the encounter with Rose.
While Rose is portrayed as neither glamorous nor affected she possesses
a warm heart and clear mind. She encourages Edmond to do the simplest
of things such as eating, and to accept insulin shots. Few words are
exchanged but her presence and willingness to regard Edmond as a man,
and as a real human being has a profound effect that slowly restores
his will to live little-by-little.
A small cooker fire transpires in Edmond's home. Rose is there and
deals with it - though black smoke chars the kitchen. The son enters,
sees the state of the kitchen and along with Rose's boss they both
blame her for allowing the fire, while also accusing her of becoming
too involved. Her boss decides Rose is not yet ready to return to work
so soon after losing an unborn child, compelling her to take a lengthy
"vacation".
Marc (Eric Cavayaka), Rose's live-in partner, chooses to leave her to
work abroad. After their separation Rose finds she has ample time
available to care for Edmond whom she then takes to her own apartment
where he stays. It becomes apparent Rose feels a need to substitute for
her lost child by caring for Edmond ~ in a wholesome way. An undoubted
friendship develops. They start to talk, dine together and go out.
Edmond takes an interest in Rose once he realises that she miscarried
and still grieves long after her tragic loss. Rose takes Edmond to her
child's cemetery; where at the graveside he shows her which plants will
last longest. While this may sound sombre or slow it is incredibly
touching the pace of events seem real, there's little music - it just
comes down to immaculate acting by the two principle leads so that this
story works brilliantly.
Edmond stays with Rose, which they enjoy keeping as their secret, while
Jacques unaware of this situation eventually reports his father as a
missing person. Marc returns to Rose and also forms a bond with Edmond.
Dramatically, the story picks-up apace when Edmond chooses to go on a
mission and journeys alone to where memories of his deceased wife are
strongest. The effect of Edmond's sudden unannounced disappearance
stirs the deepest emotions in Rose.
Unfortunately, to avoid spoilers this where descriptions of the story
stop!!! As so often the case with French cinema a human story is told
in a fascinating and gripping way. Stéphanie Chaut and Véronique
Reymond co-direct and co-write with empathy, immaculate timing, without
interference of intrusive sound tracks and cleverly involve viewers in
every character's situation. This tale is about humanity, compassion,
dignity, and life's unexpected events; and not for a moment does it
drag. A remarkable thing... in Florence Loiret Caille's portrayal of a
ordinary dowdy community nurse she plays the part with undeniable
charisma and subtly oozes sex appeal. If you can catch this film it
should not be missed. It's a treat.
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