Today I got to see this Belgian French film “Mobile Home (2012)” in Alliance Française of Madras, screened to celebrate Francophonie Day.
As the film starts we are taken in a fast cycle ride, around traffic islands, sharp bends in the town central, then on to unpaved roads leading to dirt roads, then a screeching halt in front of a farm house by Julien (played by Guillaume Gouix). The story is set in a village in Belgian countryside and is about two childhood friends in their twenties who are trying to find themselves. Julien works in his father’s farm & barn, taking care of the farm and mostly his aging father recovering from an illness. Simon is trying to piece his life back together after a breakup with his girlfriend in the town, his parents becoming over protective of him after his poor life choices.
Simon & Julien decide to travel around Europe in a RV (Mobile Home), keep working whenever they need money and continue traveling. Since the setting is beautiful countryside, you will be forgiven to be expecting panoramic view of green farms but you will not get them in this film. The film is completely about Julien and Simon, who are struggling to find meaning in their life and their relationship with their love ones. After buying the Mobile Home, they travel short distance from their homes, when the vehicle breaks down and the two stay there for next few weeks working in a farm digging root vegetables, their parents keep visiting them. This distance from home yet connected scenarios, portrays nicely the emotions that the protagonists are going through.
Most of the castings for the roles have been matched perfectly by Director François Pirot. I found the character “Valérie”, a single mother & accountant of the farm, the love interest to Julien to be cliche that many young man have crush on. Though the film moves slowly you never get tired and that’s a good story telling by the Director, which makes Mobile Home an enjoyable watch.