Les Miens: banal family portrait or summit of its author? (critical)

This film about the family directed by Roschdy Zem divided the editorial staff of Première.

Canal + continues its special programming Venice Film Festival. After having devoted his evening yesterday with Damien Chazellethe director of Babylon who is this year president of the jury, the channel will offer this evening Minethe last film of Roschdy Zemfollowed by a documentary entitled The Lion’s Part: A history of the Mostra.

First had discovered this family story on the Lido, a few weeks before its theatrical release (in November 2022), but it had divided the editorial staff. Here is our double opinion.

Against

The explosive family unit is the number one genre of French cinema, perhaps missing here is the big house in the countryside with the related trinkets and broken crockery in every corner. Question of social class. However, there are still a few beautiful apartments with a view of a gloomy Paris. Maïwenn, both on the screenplay and in front of the camera, knows a lot about it, she who with Excuse me, had gotten naked like no other. Roschdy Zem attempts with this new feature film as a filmmaker the self-analysis or even the act of contrition of the self-centered actor who, by dint of speaking only about himself, did not hear what “his” people had. to tell him. Does this make a good subject though? Not sure, especially since the filmmaker-comedian sees his ego force the frame in spite of himself and sends to the rescue dialogues multiplying heavy calls to order: “ You don’t pay attention to us! “, ” You deprive yourself of good times… » From then on, the entourage can only be considered as a necessarily nice and united tribe, where everyone tries to exist by accentuating their distinction (the sister who is too nice, the brother who is a little clumsy, the clever teenagers, etc.) However, there is the trigger, this brother who, after a blow to the head, tells his four truths to the rest of the family (Sami Bouajila, perfect in a register that nevertheless breaks his face) Problem, he doesn’t say anything other than what the film strives to demonstrate elsewhere (selfishness is a nasty flaw…) We still say that the side of comedy could save the furniture, unfortunately the film never manages to find the right measure, preferring to fall back on the feet of a family comedy that cannot end badly. Roschdy Zem finds himself at the end of the race without too many resources, obliged to erase the bill in a unifying and unifying gesture. We think it’s average.

Thomas Baura

For

It is precisely with the end that we want to start to celebrate the new Roschdy Zem. A scene that symbolizes what the film is about – in a tasty cocktail of antipodean emotions, capable of going from laughter to tears without ever twisting your arm – and of the exceptional moment that its author is experiencing . Zem splits the armor there as we have just seen him do, in Other people’s children And The Innocent, going where you don’t expect it with movements of perfect fluidity. Because by drawing inspiration from a story lived by his brother, he comes full circle, sixteen years later Bad faith, his first production where he already put a lot of himself but without claiming it like here. And this exercise of introspection where he does not do himself any favors by giving himself the most above-ground role of this tribe never slides into self-centrism. Because what he expresses about the family, an enveloping place to the point of suffocation from which we must extricate ourselves to appreciate its virtues, avoiding the cultural and religious prism that is too expected, speaks to everyone. And by the generous look that this great director of actors has on his partners. When you love actresses and actors, how can you not love them? Mine where, from Bouajila to Rachid Bouchareb (for his – exciting – debut in front of the camera) via his daughter Nina (a revelation), the always perfect Meriem Serbah and Abel Jafri or Maiwenn in a peaceful register that suits him perfectly, Roschdy Zem brought together his family of blood and heart to tell this story, leaving each character room to exist and therefore each actor room to play without ever damaging the chorality of his story. No room here for a demonstration, however. Zem is anything but a lesson giver. It simply invites sharing. His sixth feature is the most ambitious and the most exciting. We happily make our own.

Thierry Cheze

Of Roschdy Zem. With Sami Bouajila, Roschdy Zem, Maiwenn… Duration 1h25. Released November 23, 2022

Rebecca Zlotowski: “Roschdy Zem is not obsessed with being loved”