Michelle (Hélène Vincent) is a loving grandmother who drives her friend to see her son in jail and eagerly awaits the next visit from her troubled daughter, Valérie (Ludivine Sagnier), and darling grandson, Lucas (Garlan Erlos). However, Michelle mistakenly cooks a poisonous mushroom dish during their latest visit, making her daughter ill. It may be the end of their tumultuous relationship, devastating Michelle over the thought of never seeing her grandson again or missing out on the chance to make amends with her daughter. Her friend Marie-Claude Josiane Balasko) supports her, and once her son Vincent (Pierre Lottin) is out of jail, Michelle hires him to help her around the house, and she, in turn, helps fund his dream venture of owning and operating a bar. When tragedy strikes, everyone’s future looks uncertain, but each character makes a decision to save the family they have left.
François Ozon’s dramatic thriller “When Fall is Coming” is deceptively calm and restrained for all the mystery that arises. Innocuous fights escalate, and matters get out of hand, but many of those moments and heated exchanges happen off-screen. Instead, the movie has a sort of murky placidity to it, as characters make choices that are legally and perhaps morally grey with an unnerving sense of calm. Ozon, who wrote and directed “When Fall is Coming,” leaves some air of mystery even when things seem certain, and suspense pops up when you least expect it. Every character must decide which secrets to keep and whom to protect, with only a few seconds to decide, and every line of questioning feels like a fork in the road. Considering that his previous film “The Crime is Mine” was an off-the-walls screwball comedy, “When Fall is Coming” feels like a return to form, exploring the dramatic possibilities of relationships in subtle and disarming ways. He even incorporates a supernatural element, using a haunting ghost as a manifestation of one character’s guilt and questioning her sanity to further enhance the somber mystery.
Ozon’s script also explores the guilt of mothers whose children did not turn out the way they had hoped. Both Michelle and Marie-Claude were sex workers who sacrificed much to provide for their kids, only to watch one grow increasingly resentful and money-hungry and the other land in jail. Their past also comes back to haunt Michelle when local bullies pick on Lucas, and she fears he may reject her, just as his mother had. Fortunately, Vincent, fresh from jail, can give the bullies a bit of their own medicine and stand up for Lucas. Michelle’s friendship with Marie-Claude is also delightful to watch, as the two help each other through their own hardships with their offspring. However, not everything is as rosy as it seems, as Michelle starts to doubt herself and her memory, especially after accidentally cooking a plate of poisonous mushrooms for her daughter. Or was it intentional? Michelle’s second-guessing, mild-mannered character becomes more difficult to decipher as the movie continues, and Ozon leaves it up to the audience to interpret her true intentions.
In addition to Ozon’s impressive work as writer and director, much of the credit for “When Fall is Coming” belongs to the ensemble cast, each of whom brings a unique element to the mix that makes the story so engrossing. As Michelle, Vincent strikes the right tone for both a doting grandmother and a dutiful friend to a fault. Her performance is both heartbreaking and yet stoically reserved, keeping her tears at the edges of her eyes but never quite looking defeated, despite everything she endures. It’s a remarkably subtle performance. Balasko’s role is much more flustered and stressed as her character, Marie-Claude, struggles to keep what she knows, and her worries weaken her. Almost in opposition to the two motherly figures in his life, Lottin’s Vincent is a striking presence, with a hot temper and physical heft to intimidate just about anyone. Sangnier’s entry into the story is a chaotic one, igniting the spark for the rest of the characters to react to, while as her character’s son, Erlos plays the part of Lucas as innocence personified – until he too has a choice to make.
True to the title “When Fall Is Coming,” the film’s color palette is rooted in these earthy tones, from Michelle’s antique cottage and her lush, green garden, which requires extra care to prepare for winter, to the winding forest roads she visits on her walks. Ozon and cinematographer Jérome Alméras create a bucolic picture of the grandmother’s house out in the French countryside with less-than-rosy details about the realities of her life and others. You need the time to take in every meticulous hint; every interaction feels like a new part of the narrative, and every cheerful smile hides something more than meets the eye. Fall may not be a surprise when it comes, if only you pay attention.
