“The Marching Band” (“En Fanfare”)
(France)
Metacritic (7/10), Letterboxd (3.5/5), Imdb.com (7/10), TMDB.com (7/10), Imdb critics review
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Fostering brotherly love isn’t always easy, especially when siblings are different from one another or, even more fundamentally, are unaware of one another’s existence. But that’s precisely what happened to brothers Thibault Desormeaux (Benjamin Lavernhe) and Jimmy Lecocq (Pierre Lotin), on both of the aforementioned counts, when they were separated by adoption at birth. Their discovery of one another comes about when fate plays a hand neither of them saw coming. When Thibault is diagnosed with leukemia, he’s desperately in need of a compatible bone narrow transplant to save his life. He first turns to his sister, Rose (Mathilde Courcol-Rozès), but she turns out to be incompatible, because she’s not his biological sibling. It’s at that point when Thibault learns he’s adopted, a secret that’s been withheld for 37 years. But, after a visit to his physician, Thibault learns that a compatible donor might well be available from a brother he never knew he had, a discovery revealed through a medical database search. With options limited, Thibault visits his sibling, Jimmy, to explain the situation and seek his help. Needless to say, the blue collar cafeteria kitchen worker is as flummoxed as Thibault when he learns of his heretofore-unknown brother, and he’s not terribly happy about the news. Why was this information kept from him all these years, especially since the brothers are very different and the fact that Thibault apparently got all the breaks in life that Jimmy didn’t (talk about sibling rivalry). However, given the life-or-death nature of Thibault’s circumstances, Jimmy softens enough to relent, leading to a procedure that apparently succeeds and for which his newfound brother is eternally grateful. The relationship is still somewhat tenuous, but that changes, too, when they discover they share a common love – music: Thibault is a world-renowned orchestra conductor, while Jimmy is a virtuoso trombonist in a company-sponsored marching band who just happens to possess perfect pitch. In gratitude for Jimmy saving his life, Thibault wants to help his brother build upon his talents, an understandably kind gesture that, unfortunately, doesn’t always go as well as hoped for. But, if nothing else, this shared interest brings the brothers closer together, setting them up for what they hope is a bright future, one that helps to offset the inequalities of the past and evoke the emerging love between them. But will it? That’s the scenario at the heart of this tender comedy-drama from writer-director Emmanuel Courcol, a release that was a viewer and critically acclaimed box office sensation in the film’s native France. And for good reason – this warm, funny, touching tale makes for great viewing with its fine performances and profound chemistry between the two leads, as well as the contributions of its many colorful supporting characters. It’s also a music lover’s delight, especially with its superb selection of classical works by the likes of Beethoven, Mozart, Verdi, Debussy, and, most notably, Ravel’s Bolero. Admittedly, the picture might be seen as having a few too many secondary story threads that aren’t always as fully developed as they might have been, sometimes slowing the pacing and causing the narrative to meander a bit. However, that aside, “The Marching Band” is a crowd-pleasing charmer that’s worth the time (and the cost of the box of tissues you should probably bring with you to the screening). It’s truly gratifying when a movie hits all the right notes, and this one does a masterful job at achieving just that.