Quite an earnest film about sex work – I imagine – is more an unflinching look at working simply to survive.
Marie is a single mother, trying to make enough money to send her son to college in the hopes that he can become a chef. Her current income cannot permit this, so in an attempt to make enough money for her son’s college fees, she broadens her line of work to a club outside of where she lives.
This is quite hard to watch at times. Surprisingly nothing too graphic or unforgiving, but the sheer humanity on display here is the most compelling aspect in tandem with the great performances from the lead actors.
A film about work, regardless of class or profession, simply to earn enough to both survive and provide for those you love, in the hopes that once they see the value of what you eventually provide, they’ll take that seed of wealth with them, and spread it far into their future, so that there won’t be another distressed mess like you’ve become. These attitudes seep through Calamy’s performance and resonate all too well for the people that can empathise.
Moments of shame are admitted, reflected upon in Marie’s situation, but despite the sympathy, she feels she knows she must survive or die trying by all means necessary.
Granted, the central plot of getting her son to college does become obscured the more you get invested in the lengths she’s going to as you follow her character, and for me, it more became a film simply about trying to make enough money in general, rather than for any specific purpose, but the moral of the story does get wrapped up nicely with a sentimental albeit melancholic but truthful ending.
Great feature from writer/director Cécile Ducrocq.
HER WAY
HER WAY IS PLAYING IN CURZON CINEMAS NATIONWIDE AND THROUGH CURZON HOME CINEMA
CLICK THE POSTER TO RENT HER WAY
