“When Fall Is Coming” (2024), which is the translation for “Quand vient l’automne,” is François Ozon’s latest film, and he has not missed a beat. Retired Michelle Giraud (Hélène Vincent) loves her life in the Burgundy countryside. She goes to her local parish church, lives alone, spends her days with her best friend, Marie Claude Perrin (Josiane Balasko) and gardens. It is a peaceful bucolic life filled with autumnal colors, the perfect time for her daughter, Valérie Tessier (Ludvine Sagnier), and grandson, Lucas (Garlan Erlos), to visit, but their time is cut short when Michelle’s cooking almost kills Valérie. Valérie will not leave her son with his grandmother, which makes Michelle depressed. When her best friend’s son, Vincent (Pierre Lottin) is released from jail, Michelle hires him to tend her grounds, and he sympathizes with her sorrow over not getting to see her grandson. Things have a way of working out for everyone—well, almost everyone.
Vincent, the actor, not the character, and Ozon are so good at their craft that it is a pleasure to watch the most quotidian activities from taking a walk, cooking, going to bed. Every aspect of life is romantic and treated as sacred so when Michelle’s routine and mood change, it feels like a severe disruption. Michelle adores Lucas, but expresses no similar affection for her daughter, and later, she explicitly complains about her daughter. Michelle Obama said, “We love our boys and raise our girls.” Michelle shows her love and/or exercises control with her money though she is not rolling in it. When she treats the Perrins to a meal, she stops eating probably because she cannot afford it.
Valérie makes a coarse and flinty first impression in “When Fall Is Coming.” She is naked and unashamed in taking her mom up on her offer for money then ups the ante. It feels like financial exploitation of an elderly person, but she vaguely alludes to her mother’s past and Vincent’s actions. She probably gave up on emotional support and decided to increase the financial support to make up the difference, which never works. Valérie may be unpleasant and greedy, but she is not wrong when she notes how her mom empathizes with Vincent more than her. After all, Michelle did almost kill her so being a little sullen and running away seems fair. Later Michelle is shown manipulating an unsuspecting neighbor in Valérie’s apartment building to let her in as if it is a pleasant surprise, not a confrontation. Side note: worst apartment security ever, and Valérie needs to stop answering her door if she is not expecting anyone. Parisians are not as careful as New Yorkers in this film.
Marie-Claude views everything with a perspicacious eye. She knows that her son is a mess, and she loves her best friend. She is probably the character who is most honest with herself and the way that she assesses the world, but she navigates life with a hands-off attitude and lets things play out. Her laissez-faire attitude comes at a price that only she pays.
Vincent, the character, not the actor, is a bit inscrutable. Vincent is less interested in working the job that meets his skill level and dreams of opening a bar where he can play the big man. Is he gay? There is a scene where he goes to a park and waits around like a scene from “Tom of Finland” (2017). He lacks judgment, but he loves some people fiercely even at his own expense, especially Lucas and Michelle. He loves mothers unconditionally, and he is horrified at how Valérie treats hers. Apparently Valérie gets conveniently cut out of the mother category. Imagine if a guy just got out of jail and told you how to live your life, and “When Fall Is Coming” never reveals what he did to get thrown in jail. Valérie takes his meddling well. She only seems to be hostile with her mother and anyone who takes time with her son away from her, which would include her ex-husband, Laurent (Malik Zidi). Lucas is a kid who seems to prefer his grandmother and Burgundy over his parents and life in the city.
“When Fall Is Coming” spends a lot of time in church for a French movie. It opens with a sermon about a sinner washing Jesus’ feet with expensive ointment and her hair. That sin is not specified but is commonly believed to be prostitution and incorrectly conflated with Mary Magdalene. Ozon prefers to stick with popular beliefs than textual accuracy, which works for this story. The characters’ theology is very forgiving except when it comes to Valérie, who seems to commit the unforgivable sin of being judgmental and expressing negative feelings. An unpleasant woman is the worst sin. “What matters is he wants to do right.” Um, what about the people who are doing right. Oh yes, sorry you are a raging jerk so to hell with you.
If Pedro Almodóvar was French and centered men, he would have made “When Fall Is Coming”: the adoration of the countryside, the brittle stress of city living, the tending of graves, but this peaceful life is more turbulent and terrifying under the surface than any city. Once you watch this film, you will realize how disrespectful this title is, and you will want to see it repeatedly to notice what you initially missed. If you do not like deliberate pacing or subtitles, skip it. Even if you normally hate ambiguity, this narrative’s adherence to it increases the suspense and tension in a delicious way. The ensemble cast is perfect.
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No one outright conspires to kill Valérie, but everyone’s actions make it seem as if everyone telepathically agreed to do it and got away with it. In the end, it feels more like a portrait of internalized misogyny as women prioritized men and excused their bad behavior while refusing to extend similar grace to women.
Valérie is depicted in the way that everyone sees her. It feels deliberate when she has lunch before visiting even though she does not necessarily know that her mom is making her lunch. She is glued to her phone and laptop, only complains and disguises her contempt with concern by noting her mom’s weight, age, need for exercise. Even if she has a point, don’t give her the house! You need to live somewhere, and she hates you. I would ask for money, not a sandwich, too, especially since Michelle almost kills her. Also, shouldn’t a poisoned person only be eating crackers?
I knew that Michelle was a stealth bitch when she was venting to Vincent in earshot claiming that she was dying to her friend. I knew that she would live a long life, and she outlived her daughter and best friend. In the end, “When Fall Is Coming” is like the ultimate wish fulfillment for Michelle. She gets to be the only woman in Lucas and Vincent’s lives.
Michelle was not a girl’s girl from the start. She always sympathized more with Vincent (“never been easy for him”) but expects gratitude and unconditional love without criticism from her daughter. Vincent’s time in jail is brushed off, whereas her daughter, who was depressed, but functional with a job, a place and a son, gets no such credit and gets framed as suicidal and troubled. She did not retire for her daughter, but she does for her grandson. She encourages him to disobey his mother’s rules. She kind of lies to Vincent that she let her garden get out of control because she was in that garden almost daily. She did need that wood though. She loved that little boy in church. She always wanted a boy. When her friend tried to vent after Michelle did, Michelle chides her gently (“don’t say that”) because the complaints are referring to Vincent. She shows more maternal physical affection to Laurent than her daughter. She wanted a son, not a daughter.
Even Lucas was in on the act. As a child, he says that he does not like mushrooms but later confesses that he likes them. What is that about? He always wanted to live with his grandma. He knows that Vincent could have killed his mom and was cool with it.
Vincent, you selfish jerk. Why did you tell your mom if you do not want to go to jail?!? Everyone stressed Marie-Claude to death.
Fan fiction time: I think that Michelle may have put Valérie in danger while she was working because there are a lot of allusions to Vincent and Valérie experiencing similar issues. If Vincent is not gay, he could be a gentleman of the night in that park. Valérie did not want to be a part of the family business, almost got abused or did, which is why she resented her mother. It may be a leap within the story, but not in real life. Also, it sounds like Michelle may not have wanted that life too.
So, they may have done it or not, but they all wanted to and would prefer life without Valérie so they could live their best (lying) life. I only have one question with no answer so let me know what you think. WHO SENT THE ANONYMOUS LETTERS OR WAS THAT A LIE?!?
