Valérie Donzelli‘s television series Nona and Her Daughters tells the story of what would happen if a 70-something woman got pregnant. From her honest, bewildered reaction, to the desperate action her family takes in order to understand and further accept the unexpected. This is a brutally sincere and grounded take on the broken dynamics of a family that’s already dysfunctional when one thing absurd shakes them off their day by day routine.
But Donzelli, additionally writing alongside Clémence-Madeleine Perdrillat, doesn’t go for the straightforward and anticipated response to her premise. We know Nona is pregnant as a result of we see her X-rays and there’s a form of scientific strategy when the collection begins, however this isn’t a present in regards to the extraordinary truth that somebody that outdated is usually a mom. This is a present about how her environment reply and behave. It’s a wonderful story of household values in fashionable society when a nucleus of ladies what science can’t clarify however it’s tangible sufficient to alter their entire lives.
Nona is within the middle, with out management of an important second of her life. Her daughters Manu, Gaby and George, recoil after they discover out they are going to be sisters, however by no means really query what is going to in the end occur with their mom. In a really stunning and surprising sequence, Nona and Her Daughters goes for a musical second and heart-wrenching emotions are defined within the type of a melody.
Nona’s daughters determine their mom wants care. A midwife strikes in, however on account of an eviction discover, all of them determine to maneuver in collectively. This makes the present’s dramatic core shake as French comedy units in all its glory. This is when Nona and Her Daughters affirm its true spirit and the present turns into a drama with steady winks on the humorous facet of Nona’s being pregnant. However, that is additionally when the present turns into an increasing number of about three sisters dwelling collectively whereas going through the surprising shift of their lives, but in addition attempting to take care of new romantic ventures, and households awkwardly separating. Oh and the present goes for a delicate supernatural tone when Nona’s stomach begins emitting an odd purple mild.
Regardless of how you are taking the route Donzelli goes for within the center a part of the present, the engagement is sort of magnetic. At occasions, it turns into too foolish and nearly too humorous, however when Nona and Her Daughters stays on its extra severe word, it turns into rather more fascinating than earlier than. This wouldn’t occur with out the present’s most distinguished factor: An admirable solid ensemble that elevates the collection above what some detractors will declare as ridiculous and exploitative. Such solid contains: Miou Miou, Virginie Ledoyen, Valérie Donzelli, Clotilde Hesme, Antoine Reinartz, Michel Vuillermoz. Miou Miou shines closely above everybody else.
Don’t let the preliminary tone confuse you. The actuality shock comes in some unspecified time in the future in Nona and Her Daughters, and we assure you received’t be ready. But thankfully Donzelli’s expertise at storytelling makes every little thing a lot simpler to digest. She’s a pure.
Founder of Screentology. Member of the OFCS. RT Certified Critic
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