Anne-Sophie Bailly's assured feature debut My Everything examines the difficulties faced by a fortysomething single mother, who sets about supporting her adult son as he embarks on the byzantine journey that is parenthood. Written and directed by Bailly (En travail, Acte cent: la relève), the film presents a narrative that deftly intertwines gentleness with resilience, reflecting both the harsh realities of caregiving and the intricacies of a life-changing challenge. At the centre of My Everything is Mona, portrayed by the superb Laure Calamy, best known for Call My Agent! and her César-nominated turn in Her Way.
The film follows Calamy's Mona, a woman working as an aesthetician, as she attempts to get to grips with the news that her son Joël (Charles Peccia) is to become a parent with his girlfriend Océane (Julie Froger). The story unfolds with an apt sense of realism, as Mona struggles with the implications of both her own motherhood and Joël's impending fatherhood. Joël and Océane, both living with intellectual disabilities, do their best to prepare themselves for the joys and worries of raising a baby, while Mona confronts her own fears regarding the complexities of parental love and responsibility.
The film sensitively explores the difficult issues connected with such a scenario, and Peccia, whose only other feature film credit is a bit part in Galatéa Bellugi-starrer Her & Him & the Rest of the World, gives a wonderful, nuanced performance alongside seasoned pro Calamy. Belgian actor Geert van Rampelberg's role as Mona's love interest Frank adds another layer to the film, providing a perspective on the external influences that affect the family dynamic. Filmed entirely in and around Dunkerque, My Everything sees Bailly fully exploit the Nord-Pas-de-Calaisian landscape's ability to convey various states of emotion.
Bailly's film also emphasises the importance of an inclusive narrative that acknowledges the experiences of all characters, especially those with disabilities, and it stands as a compelling examination of the human condition, familial bonds, and maternal love. In other hands, My Everything could easily have been reduced to a rote melodrama, but Bailly's control and sureness of touch—along with the performances of Calamy, Peccia, Froger and Van Rampelberg—ensure that the film is never anything less than an absorbing, compassionate and plausible work, one that belies its director's relative inexperience.
Darren Arnold
Images: Les Films du Losange
