Common Sense Media Review
By Jeffrey M. Anderson
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based on child development research. How do we rate?
age 10+
The thoughtful mother-daughter story has strong performances.
Not present
Videos and photos
What is the story?
IN TRUTH, legendary movie actress Fabienne Dangeville (Catherine Deneuve) has just released her memoir and is embarking on a new role in a sci-fi movie. At the same time, Fabien’s daughter, screenwriter Lumir (Juliette Binoche), arrives from New York with her actor husband Hank (Ethan Hawke) and their young daughter Charlotte (Clémentine Grenier). Lumir reads her mother’s memoirs and is amazed to discover many untruths. For example, Fabienne claims that she was a loving mother, when the opposite was true. Meanwhile, Fabienne begins filming and finds herself in the role of the seven-year-old daughter of the film’s younger main character (Manon Clavel); in the story, Manon is sick and lives in space, where she does not age. Between film and memoir, can mother and daughter find a way to reconnect?
Is it good?
Working outside of his native Japan with well-known French and American stars, director Hirokazu Koreeda delivers a drama that feels a little off, yet is quietly thoughtful and beautifully acted. Certain characters, including Hank, and certain subplots/themes don’t really seem necessary and feel like they’re going off the rails. The majority True is in French (with English subtitles for the US release), and Hank’s character only speaks English, so he spends most of the movie either looking confused or ignoring the other adults and playing games with Charlotte. Another character, “Susan”, seems important and is mentioned in dialogue, but is never seen.
But Binoche and Deneuve are spectacular in their scenes together, and Deneuve has one of her best and funniest roles with Fabienne, who often gets laughs with her wry, sophisticated line readings. The sci-fi movie-within-a-movie also offers a fascinating perspective, with Fabienne playing scenes as a daughter longing to fill in the gaps in her relationship with her mother. It’s a perceptive mirror – the opposite of the real-life scenes between Fabienne and Lumiro. Although True it’s not perfect, it’s these humanistic touches — a Koreed trademark (And Wish, Shoplifters) — which makes it worth seeing.
Talk to your kids about…
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Families can discuss how True shows alcohol/drinking. Is it glamorous? How do you think the filmmakers intended the audience to feel about the character who stopped drinking?
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How is smoking portrayed? Are there consequences? Why is it important?
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What is the relationship between mother and daughter in this story? How is it similar or different from your relationship(s)?
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What is interesting or unique about a Japanese filmmaker telling a story about people in France? Is his view of human behavior universal?
Did we miss something about diversity?
Research shows a connection between children’s healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in the media. That’s why we’ve added a new “Different Representations” section to our reviews, which will be published continuously. You can help us help children