What a waste of my time!!!

an ambitious but ultimately ineffective debut endeavor.

Just intense enough to provide a much-needed diversion, just lightweight enough to make you forget about it soon after it’s over. It’s not exactly “good,” per se, but it does what it sets out to do in terms of putting us on edge, which makes it … successful?

I didn’t really have many expectations going into the movie (good or bad), but I actually really enjoyed it. I really liked the characters and the banter between them.

Jean and Ferdinand Rezeau lived an idyllic life in her grandmother's large estate in Brittany. The children's parents, Paule and Jacques, had gone to Indochine. Jacques, a fly collector, was easily manipulated by the domineering Paule. The children spent years without physical contact with their parents. After the death of the matriarch, the Rezeaus must return to France to assume their parental duties.A big change is in store for everyone in the estate. When the parents arrive, Jean and Ferdinand get a big surprise as the parents introduce their brother, Marcel, someone the siblings knew nothing about. Paule, ridiculous stingy woman begins making changes in the household. She even confiscate Jean and Ferdinad's personal possessions. Jean, who is a rebel, clashes with his mother. Paule, in turn, focuses all her energies into making Jean's life impossible. Jean made a discovery about his new brother which was to be a dark secret of her mother's life in Saigon.Philippe De Broca, the director of this film, based on a novel by Herve Bazin, also adapted it for the screen with Olga Vincent. It was supposed to have been the first part of a trilogy, which alas, never took place as the director died without getting his wish. The book was adapted for French television in what was supposed to be a much better adaptation. One has seen terrible mothers on the screen before, but Paule Rezeau is one of the meanest woman ever shown in films.Catherine Frot, a wonderful actress played her to the point that runs into almost a caricature of the horrible character she was asked to play. Perhaps M. De Broca wanted to go for that larger than life rendition for Paule. Jacques Villaret, who is seen as Jacques, on the other hand, has a much better time playing second fiddle to his domineering wife. Child actor Jules Sitruk does a marvelous job as Jean.

I love the book "Vipère Au poing" by Hervé Bazin, it is one of my favorite book. I think the adaptation is a pretty good film on its own but it lacked certain things. Catherine Frot played well her part but was not as cold and cruel in the film that Folcoche was in the book. The main difference is that it seems like the director of this film tries to make excuses for Folcoche's behavior. Important scenes were changed such as the last scene in the book was different from the same scene done in the film. Otherwise, the film was really well done. Jules Sitruk played Brasse-Bouillon fantastically. I loved the subtle references to Hervé Bazin's work. The music was very dramatic and I liked Brasse-Bouillon's voice-over. Overall, the movie was entertaining but the book is a lot better of course.

... or Every Home Should Have One, with apologies to John Steinbeck whose short story had nothing whatsoever to do with the autobiography of Herve Bazin which is the basis for this fine film. Catherine Frot is cast against type as the mother from hell and at times, especially when shot in extreme close up she actually contrives to LOOK like a snake. If, as I did, you see Frot in Les Soeurs Fachees, within twenty four hours you can't help marveling at her range but more of that when I get to The Angry Sisters. In his formative years Bazin lived with his grandmother because his parents were in Indo China and the film kicks off as the grandmother does and the parents return to France to take care of their two sons. Frot's complete lack of maternal instinct has to be seen to be believed as do her Draconian measures - no heat in the boy's bedroom in winter is only the beginning. It's tempting and easy to think that Frot based her characterization on Margaret Thatcher, there is the same coldness, the same aloof autocracy and it was Thatcher, of course, in her role as Minister for Education who famously discontinued the free school milk that children had enjoyed for years, earning her the well-deserved sobriquet Thatcher The Milk Snatcher. Jacques Villeret, also cast against type offers sterling support as the milquetoast husband but it is young Jules Sitruk, so good in Monsieur Batignole, who weighs in with a wonderfully assured performance as the rebellious son. It's difficult to find fault with anything from the acting to the attention to detail in the period setting. One to see again.

Vipère au poing is a french novel telling the childhood of the author Hervé Bazin. As a young boy, Bazin was confronted with his mother who was a tyrant. She had imposed a very tough way of life in the family manor. For instance, during the winter, she had forbidden any heater in the bedrooms of her children. She was finally nicknamed by them "Follcoche" for Folle (mad) and Cochonne (pig). In 1971, a first film from the book had been shot for TV with Alice Sapritch playing the mother. At this time, the french viewers had been impressed by her acting.Thirty years later, there is this new adaptation by Philippe de Broca. If you forget Alice Sapritch and equally the book, you can be enjoyed by the movie. Admittedly, there are some flaws in the Broca film. You can discuss the acting or you can find the voice off unpleasant. But this film is nice, it's enjoyable to see it. And it is not boring at any moment. It's too rare in the french cinema nowadays, not to be underlined.