NOS BATTAILES/OUR STRUGGLES

France, 2018, 98 minutes, Colour.

Romain Duris, Basile Grunberger, Lena Girard Voss, Lucy Debay, Laure Calamy, Dominique Valadie, Sarah Picard, Cedric Vieira.

Directed by Guillaume Senez.

Our Struggles is a French social drama. At the centre is Olivier, the union man, with many sequences of his work at the factory, with the fellow workers, campaigns, victories. In the factory, his life is a success.

However, while there are struggles for the unions, Olivier’s main struggles are at home. His wife of many years walks out on him and the family, no indication of why she has left, no indication of where she has gone to.

This leads the drama to Olivier, coping with bringing up his children, some intense domestic sequences, his having to face his life, discussions with his sister, his relationship with his father and how this impacts on his own struggles with his own children.

Some commentators have noted that this film resembles the fine social dramas of the Dardenne Brothers over many decades.

1. The title? Struggles rather than battles? Family struggles? Workplace struggles?
2. Homes, factories and workplaces, offices? The musical score?
3. Olivier as the focus, age, in the workplace, supervising, confidant, the clashes with Agathe, pleading the cause of fellow workers? The older man, less efficient, not telling the truth, his suicide attempt, Olivier with his family? Other members of the work force confiding in him? His being on the floor with people, the arguments with Agathe? His home life, his love for his children, his relationship with Laura? Being busy, out?
4. Laura, with the children, Elliot, the accident, the doctor, the treatment? Supporting Olivier? In the bathroom, looking at herself in the mirror? Packing and leaving, disappearing? The later postcard?
5. The children, their age, brother and sister, with their mother, with their father, at school, pickups, Laura telling stories, preparation for the birthday? The effect of the disappearance of their mother, emotional, with their father, not understanding, the grandmother and her help, their aunt? The party in celebration? The going off to search for their mother, on the train? The police finding them? Bonding with their father? The future?
6. Olivier, coping with Laura’s disappearance, being self-contained, not able to talk, not wanting family therapy, the discussions with his mother, the memories of his father’s behaviour and her mother’s stoicism, his relationship with his sister and dependence on her? The visit to the friend and her support? With the workers, the repercussions of the disappearance on his job? on the floor, Claire and her wanting to leave the union? His discussions about the union, the possibility of a job in Toulouse? The disappearance of the children, reconciliation with them?
7. Agathe and her being fired, her successor, his offering Olivier the job in HR? And talking about his qualifications?
8. The portrait of the grandmother, her love and care, Olivier’s sister and her own life, acting, Olivier’s demands?
9. The openness of the ending, father and children, the drive – to wear? On the notice on the wall that they were waiting?