A moving, powerful journey into the past
Directed and co-written by Christian Carion (“Joyeux Noel”), “Driving Madeleine” is going to remind some viewers of the terrific 2013 Steve CooganJudi Dench drama “Philomena.” But the truth is that the tradition of films about old people on both a real journey and a journey into the past goes farther back. Ingmar Bergman’s “Wild Strawberries” (1957) might be one of the earliest (and still the best).
In “Driving Madeleine,” a beleaguered, raw-nerved Paris taxi driver named Charles Hoffman (Dany Boon) picks up a 92year-old woman named Madeleine Keller (French chanteuse Line Renaud). Madeleine is leaving her home, where she lived alone, to move to a nursing home on the other side of Paris. Charles is having some sort of financial troubles.
He has been on the phone with both his angry brother, a doctor, and his wife, a nurse. Charles has assured his wife that “they will get through this.” We are not sure what “this” is. Madeleine, who has a flirtatious manner in spite of her age, wants grumpy Charles to take her to her old neighborhood in Vincennes for a last look. He hesitantly agrees. Soon, Madeleine begins to share her life story with her at first unreceptive, new acquaintance.
Accompanied by flashbacks in which Alice Isaaz plays Madeleine, we hear about Madeleine’s first love. He was a U.S. soldier named Matt, and they had a three-month affair at the end of the war. He left, leaving her accidentally pregnant and alone, except for her mother, a dresser at a Paris theater. We also learn that Madeleine’s father was executed by the Nazis. When her son is still a boy, Madeleine marries a brute named Ray (Jeremie Laheurte), who beats her and her son until she takes matters into her own hands and becomes an early feminist figure in postwar France. In the course of learning all of this, we see Paris through the windows of Charles’ taxi from the Champs Elysee to the Avenue Parmentier. We take in the marvelous view up the Avenue de l’Opera to the Palais Garnier. We visit the Palais de Justice. Our first bit of sightseeing is suitably Notre Dame still under repair.
Leading man Boon has directed and co-starred with Renaud in other films, including the 2008 comedy “Welcome to the Sticks” aka “Bienvenue chez les Ch’tis,” the highest grossing French film of all time. They have chemistry and a strong connection. Charles laments that he works 12 hours a day, six days a week and still has a hard time providing for his wife and daughter. He is drowning in debt and only two points away from losing his license for driving violations.
Director Carion displays a capable hand, although he and cowriter Cyril Gely (“Chocolat”) go overboard in terms of Madeleine’s revenge against Ray, perhaps driven by the symbolism of it. Madeleine later observes that beneath his gruff exterior Charles is “un grand sentimental.” We suspect that the film is as well and are not surprised by its final revelations. Being in the company of Boon, Renaud and Paris for 91 minutes turns out to be a great pleasure (bring a hankie). Drive on, Charles.