This is easily, one of the most fascinating explorations of revenge put to screen I’ve seen in awhile (obviously the goat being Park Chan-wook; would never take that from him but hey, I said “one of”). Hell of a directorial debut! It’s quiet, it’s patient, reserved; mean but also tender. The camera feels like a character, fully embodied from the start, tilting, off balance in moments to hiding outside, refusing to participate.

I’m back and forth about the love interest because on one hand, I liked seeing our lead so desired and in control of the consent of it all…but I also think it stalled the pace especially taking in its conclusion. However, that’s really it — everything else worked phenomenally and intertwined me, as a witness, so much into her journey. If this is just a first feature, I’d like to see more…no need to see more.

This is easily, one of the most fascinating explorations of revenge put to screen I’ve seen in awhile (obviously the goat being Park Chan-wook; would never take that from him but hey, I said “one of”). Hell of a directorial debut! It’s quiet, it’s patient, reserved; mean but also tender. The camera feels like a character, fully embodied from the start, tilting, off balance in moments to hiding outside, refusing to participate.

I’m back and forth about the love interest because on one hand, I liked seeing our lead so desired and in control of the consent of it all…but I also think it stalled the pace especially taking in its conclusion. However, that’s really it — everything else worked phenomenally and intertwined me, as a witness, so much into her journey. If this is just a first feature, I’d like to see more…no need to see more.

[Watched at Fantaspoa 2024]
Gonna be vague here but this movie is able to "gently" hammer home how inescapable cycles of abuse are once you've been taught them. There's no ending it, only pausing it. And if you come from a poor background, even class mobility can't save you.

[Watched at Fantaspoa 2024]
Gonna be vague here but this movie is able to "gently" hammer home how inescapable cycles of abuse are once you've been taught them. There's no ending it, only pausing it. And if you come from a poor background, even class mobility can't save you.

There are only a handful of first time directors that have the ability to tackle major emotional themes effectively on their first go. Oftentimes they might choose style over substance by attempting to pull some flashy camera moves or other choices to draw the audience in. This is not the case for this film. Writer-director Ellie Foumbi’s feature debut, Our Father, the Devil, follows the life of Marie (Babetida Sadjo), the head chef at a retirement home in France. One day a new priest, Father Patrick (Souleymane Sy Savané), arrives at the retirement facility, and Marie remembers him from a dark part of her past. As his presence persists, Marie faces an internal battle of what to do about him before it’s too late.

The film features one of the strongest performances of the year from Babedita Sadjo as Marie. The role really allows her to show off an impressive range of emotion that continues to crescendo until the very end. While the performance portrays a lot of rage and hurt that comes from Marie’s past, Sadjo also shows the character’s struggle with how she feels about her own actions as well as considering giving Father Patrick a second chance. The movie itself rests on Sadjo’s shoulders, but it would be a disservice to ignore Souleymane Sy Savané’s impact on the tone and intensity of the story. He perfectly blends his performance as the kind Father Patrick with the evil persona of his life before he became a priest. He plays up the priestly role so well that the viewer is liable to think Marie is out of her mind in the early parts of the film.

This review continues at GVN

There are only a handful of first time directors that have the ability to tackle major emotional themes effectively on their first go. Oftentimes they might choose style over substance by attempting to pull some flashy camera moves or other choices to draw the audience in. This is not the case for this film. Writer-director Ellie Foumbi’s feature debut, Our Father, the Devil, follows the life of Marie (Babetida Sadjo), the head chef at a retirement home in France. One day a new priest, Father Patrick (Souleymane Sy Savané), arrives at the retirement facility, and Marie remembers him from a dark part of her past. As his presence persists, Marie faces an internal battle of what to do about him before it’s too late.

The film features one of the strongest performances of the year from Babedita Sadjo as Marie. The role really allows her to show off an impressive range of emotion that continues to crescendo until the very end. While the performance portrays a lot of rage and hurt that comes from Marie’s past, Sadjo also shows the character’s struggle with how she feels about her own actions as well as considering giving Father Patrick a second chance. The movie itself rests on Sadjo’s shoulders, but it would be a disservice to ignore Souleymane Sy Savané’s impact on the tone and intensity of the story. He perfectly blends his performance as the kind Father Patrick with the evil persona of his life before he became a priest. He plays up the priestly role so well that the viewer is liable to think Marie is out of her mind in the early parts of the film.

This review continues at GVN

The view from that cabin must be insane

The view from that cabin must be insane