A HAPPY EVENT (Un heureux evenement) (2011)

Genre: Comedy
Director: Rémi Bezançon 
Cast: Louise Bourgoin, Pio Marmaï, Josiane Balasko, Thierry Frémont, Gabrielle Lazure, Firmine Richard, Anaïs Croze
RunTime: 1 hr 47 mins
Released By:  MVP & Golden Village
Rating: R21 (Sexual Scenes And Some Nudity)
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 12 January 2012

Synopsis: Barbara (Louise Bourgoin), a young graduate student, is madly in love with her boyfriend Nicolas (Pio Marmai) and deep into writing her thesis when she learns she is pregnant. Reeling from the initial shock, Barbara alternates between excitement and trepidation. Amidst a flurry of congratulations, she tries in vain to conform to the image of the happy expectant mother, but is instead exasperated by the tedious yogic breathing classes, and finds herself complaining to her girlfriend about her suffering sex life. Once her baby is born, everything becomes alarmingly real. She's faced with a helpless little being who needs everything from her—love most of all. But despite the support of those around her, including that of her devoted partner, Barbara struggles to connect with her child.

Movie Review:

All of us have our ‘first times’. The first time you meet the boy/girl you fall in love at first sight, the first time you go on a date with that special someone…  ‘A Happy Event’ is about all of that, and also about the couple welcoming a new life into their marriage for the first time.

This is the third feature from French writer-director Remi Bezancon. You have to trust him to know his stuffs. As the movie title suggests, it should convey happiness. But well, like we all know, life is not all about skittles and beer. This is exactly what is portrayed in the movie. Amidst the fun and happiness, there comes great changes and great responsibility that comes with the birth of the child.

The first arc of the movie basically consists of a lot of tongue-in-cheek humour, from the cheesy pick-up tactics to the courtship between Barbara (Louise Bourgoin) and Nicolas (Pio Marmai). It is entertaining and hilarious, yet not too over the top. The next arc of the movie documents the struggles of Babara as she is pregnant. Much to her horror, the baby seems to be controlling her body more than she could imagine. Her hormonal imbalance due to the physiological change causes her to have emotional instability, weird cravings and all that. Pretty much what a mother, and people who watched someone close becoming a mother, can connect and identify with. All these are pretty much told in Babara’s perspective, and adorned with pretty good humour.

The final arc of the movie, tells of the life after the child is born. The happy event is not one that only concerns the couple, but it also impacts their family members. The strain in family relationships and many of the arguments are born from the debate of ‘who is in-charge’, and the protective mum who says ‘this is my baby’ and ‘I will have it my way’. It is probably one aspect that could strike a chord with many people; people who have seen someone close going through the post-natal blues and the fear of not playing the role of the mother well. It starts to get a little emotional, but the humour is still well maintained, which includes Babara’s whole new obsession on breast-feeding.

Overall, the movie conveys pretty much about happiness and the joy of welcoming a first child despite all the down and perhaps ugly sides of it. The clever use of the CGI and the Babara in her near flawless prosthetic tummy makes it unbelievably realistic; definitely exciting and a joy to watch those changes happen. It’s really as though you’ve seen Babara through her nine months of hardship. The movie is high in its entertainment value, from beginning till end. From production to writing, it is sincere in its delivery with an unexpected heart-warming touch to it. Just the right balance for a movie of its kind!

Movie Rating:
  

(For a change, let the little one warm your heart!)

Review by Tho Shu Ling