Review: ‘You Will Be My Son’

The complexities of father – son relationships have been explored on screen since the dawn of cinema – but not often as successfully as this. Like the wines of its Bordeaux vineyard setting, this film’s a richly complex and rewarding experience.

Paul is a successful vineyard owner; an imposing man whose life is dedicated to producing the perfect wine. So when the long-serving estate manager Francois falls ill, Paul needs to find an able successor.

Martin, Paul’s son, steps up, wanting the position and to finally gain his father’s approval and respect. But Paul has no confidence in Martin’s abilities and dislikes him for his perceived failings, favouring Francois’ son Phillippe instead. He even offers to adopt him.

And so the stage is set for a battle between fathers and sons, each with their own goals for their lives, the vineyard, and the wine they make.

This film has been lavished with care, and it shows. Niels Arestrup is revelatory as the mean-spirited estate owner. He doesn’t allow Paul to descend into caricature, instead creating a complex character whose motivations, even when we disagree with his actions, are clear. The scenery too is glorious, and the script so well researched that the daily running of the estate oozes veracity. And it is this attention to detail that sets this film a step above others that have explored similar subject matter.

I found myself profoundly moved by this movie. So much that it hung over me for several hours after leaving the cinema. It’s a film that opens the mind to many questions about loyalty, family and the boundaries between them, especially when a business is involved – a business that provides the family’s livelihood.

8.5/10

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