Irish Film Institute -The Thorn in the Heart

The Thorn in the Heart

Director: Michel Gondry

France • 2009 • 86 minutes


Michel Gondry’s (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, The Science of Sleep) latest film is at first glance disarmingly slight; on the face of it a home-movie exploring the life and work of his aunt, Suzette. But scratch beneath the surface and there’s far more depth to this documentary than initially meets the eye.

Gondry’s fondness and admiration for his aunt is what comes across first and foremost. A former school teacher, Suzette takes her nephew on a journey through her life and career, visiting the many schools at which she taught. But it’s Gondry’s exploration of her immediate family that reaps the most rewards, in particular those scenes which explore the multi-faceted relationship between Suzette and her son, Jean-Yves, the thorn in her heart, as she puts it. It’s an honest and extremely heartfelt film.

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