Larry Oliver Film Reviews

Pictured : 'What did I tell you? Essential supplies only.' Ray ( Gillian Anderson ) and Moth ( Jason Isaacs ) are lost in the supermarket in the fact-based 'walk to survive' movie, ' The Salt Path ' adapted from Raynor Winn 's memoir by Rebecca Lenkiewicz and directed by Marianne Elliott . Still courtesy of Black Bear (UK). There is a tendency for films aimed at older audiences – people aged fifty plus – to be twee and sentimental, with quirky behavioural tropes and an entirely false sense of bonhomie. These movies are generally patronising and deserve to be placed in the ‘right to be forgotten’ pile. The Salt Path , produced by Elizabeth Karlsen , adapted from Raynor Winn ’s memoir by screenwriter Rebecca Lenkiewicz and directed by Marianne Elliott , is a stunning counterpoint. Understated in performance and execution, it deals with the sober reality of houseless-ness in Tory Britain and the spirit of companionship and resilience. It certainly helps that...

Pictured :  Raphael ( Bastien Bouillon ) invites conflicted chef  Cécile ( Juliette Armanet ) to applaud his motocross skills in the contemporary French musical, ' Partir Un Jour ', written with Dimitri Lucas and directed by  Amélie Bonnin . Still courtesy of Pathé . Partir un jour ( Leave One Day ), the opening film of the 2025 Cannes Film Festiva l, co-written (with Dimitri Lucas ) and directed by Amélie Bonnin , represents the opposite of glamour. ‘Top Chef’ winner turned restauranteur Cécile Béguin ( Juliette Armanet ) returns to L’Escale, the truck stop café in rural France where her parents work after her father, Gérard ( François Rollin ) has his third heart attack. Cécile wants him to retire, as does her mother Fanfan ( Dominique Blanc ), who has been taking Italian lessons and sitting in the front seat of a mobile home (clearly, she wants to go somewhere). However, for Gérard, the café is a source of pride. Steak and frites dominate the menu, but the customers ...