Tout s'est bien passé

With very precise acting and without any traces of kitsch, "Everything Went Fine" by renowned French director, Francois Ozon ("Frantz"), is a masterful reflection on assisted suicide. The movie is based on the eponymous autobiography of the main character, Emmanuelle. Accordingly, the film takes a very personal look at her father and his desire to end his life in a self-determined way, but also at the conflicts into which this plunges his immediate environment. In particular, the numerous legal, bureaucratic and not least financial pitfalls are illuminated by the film in an unpretentious manner.

For all the authentic feelings the film portrays, it resists any temptation toward pathos or over-dramatization. The biography of the dying father, his difficult marriage heavily burdened by his bisexuality, the critical relationship with his daughter ("You've always been my favorite son") -- all this is only lightly hinted at. In fact, the movie manages to tackle a deeply existential topic with surprising lightness.

All in all, this is certainly the work of a master director, but not quite a genuine masterpiece. Nevertheless, "Tout s'est bien passé" is well worth seeing and thinking about -- though it doesn't necessarily make you cry. At least not before the final credits roll.

François Ozon's "Tout s'est bien passé" ("Everything Went Fine" in English) looks a topic that gets little focus in cinema: a patient's choice whether or not to commit suicide. This issue came to prominence when the US state of Oregon passed an ordinance allowing physician-assisted suicide in 1994. In 2001, the Netherlands became the first country to allow it.

This is one of those movies that requires you to pay attention the whole time: no explosions, high-speed car chases or corny one-liners. This is serious stuff. I wouldn't call it a great movie, but it takes a respectable approach to this controversial topic, showing all sides, as well as the difficulty of this in France (which for the record is ranked as having the best healthcare system in the world; in "Sicko", Michael Moore even showed France's robust welfare state).

Worth seeing if you get a chance. I also recommend reading about Oregon's Death with Dignity Act.

Questions related to assisted suicide and the right to die have been debated hotly for decades, and proponents on each side of these issues have made passionate arguments for their causes. A number of fine films have addressed these issues, too, such as "Blackbird" (2018), "You Don't Know Jack" (2010), "Whose Life Is It, Anyway?" (1981) and "The Barbarian Invasions" (2003). And now moviegoers can add the latest offering from writer-director François Ozon to that list. This fact-based drama about an elderly French stroke victim who asks his daughter to help him die examines the subject from a variety of angles, including the legal, medical, emotional and ethical considerations involved in carrying out such a highly charged act, and it does so with a great deal of integrity, authenticity and heartfelt feeling. It's also one of the finest, most accessible offerings from a filmmaker whose works I believe often leave much to be desired. However, with that said, that's not to say that this release is without its issues, such as several story threads that don't feel fully resolved, as well as some occasionally strange camera work and seemingly superfluous narrative elements. Nonetheless, "Everything Went Fine" has much in its favor, including excellent performances by its three principals (Sophie Marceau, André Dussellier and Géraldine Pailhas), a comprehensive script, sustained pacing, well-placed moments of comic relief, and emotional impact without becoming manipulative or schmaltzy. If you can look past this offering's minor shortcomings, you'll come away from it having had a moving and insightful cinema experience, as well as a thoughtful meditation on when it's time to stay and when to go.

This movie is well worth the running time, not far short of 2 hours. The actors portray their handling of a family tragedy involving an elderly parent with great panache and sensitivity, without degrading to the maudlin. There are more lighthearted moments - a natural reaction, perhaps, to coping - and the direction allows the unfolding story to be entirely true to life and quite believable. There are a few twists along the way, which add to the interest, and the screenplay never falters.

It might have been nice to see a little more of Charlotte Rampling as the estranged wife - but her character has its own problems, and the direction makes this clear. The interplay between the medical authorities, the daughters and the assisted suicide service is very ably handled, too. Great work, need more of it.

Not many movies have the courage to ask the hard questions, such as this one. The cast is excellent, both Dussolier and Marceau do a splendid job. There are enough complications to keep things interesting, the story carries you along. It's a really good movie.

If I have any criticism, it's that it takes place in an upper-class family, for which money is not an problem (that issue is briefly mentioned in the movie). This is therefore not at all representative of the average person, and it would be interesting to see this happen in a less privileged environment.

Despite this, it's well worth watching.