Sylvie (Virgine Efira) is a widow in Bretange, France with teenage son Jean Jacques and a younger boy Sofiane. While at work as a barmaid on the evening shift Sofiane, who has behavioural problems, suffers second degree burns while attempting to cook some fries. Older brother Jean Jacques was on his way home from trumpet practice and was not at home when the accident happened so the hospital treating Sofiane reported that Sofiane was alone at home and days later the police and child welfare services swoop in and take Sofiane into protective custody without any warning so viewers may think is state kidnapping and take poor Sylvie’s side as a victim of state abuse.
Sylvie retains counsel for a hearing before a judge who agrees with child welfare that Sofiane should be placed in foster care for 6 months with visitation rights of twice a month. Sylvie is advised by her lawyer to play it cool but her frustration and anger snowballs and she falls further away from Sofiane by not “playing the game” which is be passive and acquiesce to state kidnapping. She spins out of control and there are incidents that may cause you to question her fitness as a mother. Each act of her aggression is but a potential example to the state of her unsuitability as a parent. Her defiance of the state is understandable but is this is a question of her immaturity and ultimately her proper judgement as a parent to care for Sofiane?
The result is she has boxed herself in so deeply she has nothing to lose which is the proper translation of “Rien à Perdre”. And when you have nothing to lose you take desperate measures.
A tremendous performance by Efira in this Delphine Deloget film.
You can see the trailer here https://vimeo.com/889985378.
Limited Canadian release on 12January2024 in Vancouver, Winnipeg, Ottawa and Sudbury.
If you would like to watch a documentary on how corrupt and inefficient the California foster care system is see my review of “Failure to Protect” https://a-little-birdie-told-me.ca/2023/10/14/rks-2023-film-failure-to-protect-criminals-having-more-rights-than-parents-in-the-web-of-child-protective-services-state-child-abduction-a-k-a-protective-custody/
RKS 2024 Film Rating: 84/100.
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