Cinefranco 2022: Our Review of ‘Price of Parenting’

Posted in Festival Coverage, Movies by - November 05, 2022
Cinefranco 2022: Our Review of ‘Price of Parenting’

Christian Blanc (Didier Bourdon) tells his daughter Sandrine (Marilou Berry) about the crumbles he eats all alone because she and her brother Stephane (Ben) barely visit him and his wife Chantal (Josiane Balasko). These overgrown children, in their late 20s, are hearing this guilt trip in person but at least Christian and Chantal are giving them champagne to make their guilt more palatable. Besides, the youngish adults have their own nefarious reasons, although they’re terrible at hiding it. They ask how their parents’ day was even though they already probably know what happened. They come to visit at this time because Christian and Chantal told them that they’re the newest winners of a scratch lottery jackpot. Already, the money is transforming the parents from dowdy retired suburbanites to people of class. The parents are of course performing like nouveau riche adults even though they never actually won several million euros.

That’s the basic plot of Mes tres cher enfants, or Price of Parenting, where two parents face the consequence of their big white lie. Eventually, there are more and more people who know about the millions of euros that the Blancs allegedly won, even the local bank manager who lets them withdraw from their life savings which, isn’t the bank manager the first person to realize that there is no money? Understandably, people in real life are dumb, but what makes a bad movie are characters who are dumber than actual dumb people. This movie feels like an excuse to dress Balasko and Bourdon in fake rich people clothing for comic effect, but to what end? By the way, the reason why Chantal and Christian are taking out money is to make their kids happier, and to that I say those overgrown ungrateful children don’t deserve to be happy.

  • Release Date: 11/3/2022
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While Paolo Kagaoan is not taking long walks in shrubbed areas, he occasionally watches movies and write about them. His credentials are as follows: he has a double major in English and Art History. This means that, for example, he will gush at the art direction in the Amityville house and will want to live there, which is a terrible idea because that house has ghosts. Follow him @paolokagaoan on Instagram but not while you're working.
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