[#InEnglish] The Nest : story of a broken family

The Nest (2020)

Cast: Jude Law, Carrie Coon, Charlie Shotwell

Director: Sean Durkin

Synopsis: In the 80s, Rory (Jude Law) convinces Allison (Carrie Coon), his wife, to leave the comfort of a United States suburb with their children to settle in England, his country of birth. A film of breathtaking and nerve-wracking elegance that dissects family relationships brilliantly. Multi-award-winner at the last Deauville Festival.

Length: 107 minutes

Review

A close-knit and joyful family, and they live happily ever after… Or not! This feature film ups the tension gradually, captures the viewer’s attention and keeps him on tenterhooks throughout the film. It’s a painful experience to watch Rory ask money to Allison in arguably the drama climax of the film. There is no more trust between them, to such an extent that she asks him to leave the room in order to take the money that she hides. A fan of comedies and adventure films, the festival’s programming did not match the genres I loved. My curiosity led me to go see The Nest.

Brilliant actors make for excellent characters! Each of them has its importance, seeks and loses itself at a given moment. Rory, a frustrated family man who wants to run away from his past, thinks money is the best way to cater to his family’s needs. Unhappy and forced into family life, Allison is a woman who thirsts for emancipation and freedom. Their two children suffer the hardship of their parents and end up losing themselves too. Bad influence, bullying, changes of life are disrupting for Samantha and Benjamin’s personas. Sean Durkin, the director, paints here the portrait of a family that, lies after lies, ends up breaking. No more family lunches, no more conversations, no more confidence, they’re just strangers to each other.

The sets, the costumes, the music, it’s a real immersion into the 80s that gives a lot of charm to this movie. I think there are a lot of messages in this feature film. It shows the importance of family ties, denounces greed, and preaches the emancipation of women at a time when patriarchy is predominant. If you’re not a drama film person, I can’t encourage you enough to get out of your proverbial comfort zone. I did. And I did right!