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Vincent Rottiers, Sophie Cattani, Christine Citti, Yves Verhoeven, Maxime Renard ... see more see more... , Olivier Guéritée , Ludo Harlay , Gabin Lefebure , Quentin Gonzales , Chantal Banlier , Thomas Momplot , Sabrina Ouazani

Based on a true story, I'm Glad That My Mother is Alive explores childhood trauma and its dire consequences on adult life. Given up for adoption as a toddler, troubled teenager Thomas becomes obsessed... read more read more... with tracking down his birth mother. After years of searching Thomas finds her single, with a small child, living in a nearby suburb and introduces himself. Traumatized by years of emptiness and longing for his mother, he starts an ambiguous relationship with her (part courtship, part obsession) which slowly drives him to an act of madness. -- (C) Strand

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71% liked it

182 ratings

Critics

90% liked it

10 critics

Unrated, 1 hr. 30 min.

Directed by: Claude Miller, Nathan Miller

Release Date: September 2, 2011

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Stats: 7 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (7)

  • gator681
    September 4, 2011
    gator681
    Based on a true story, "I'm Glad My Mother Is Alive" is an unsettling character study about Thomas(Vincent Rottiers) who we first meet as a young adult. He is recalling past memories, first as far back as he can at the age of 5 to the only memories he has of his birth mother, Ju... read morelie(Sophie Cattani), who when confronted by social services, gives up him and his younger brother Patrick to a caring couple, Annie(Christine Citti) and Yves(Yves Verhoeven), who cannot have children of their own. By the age of 12(Maxime Renard), Thomas is starting to ask questions about his birth mother, especially after an exhausting swim with his father.(The moral of the story is to never try and keep up with the youngsters.) He is also getting into fights at school and is about to be sentenced to boarding school. A lot of that comes from his being conflicted with the love he has for his birth mother versus the possible reality of who Julie really is which frightens him. Some might say this adds up to a variation on the whore/madonna complex but it is not really that simple since she was still a teenager when she had Thomas and is still trying to figure things out. On the other hand, Patrick, now known as Francois, does not recall Julie at all and adjusts easier. In the end, there are no easy answers and no easy way of assigning blame.

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Critic Reviews

V.A. Musetto
September 2, 2011
V.A. Musetto, New York Post

The narrative easily goes back and forth in time; despite its Oedipal subtext, it avoids exploitation. Stellar performances by Rottiers and Cattani help keep the movie on track. Full Review

Joe Dziemianowicz
September 2, 2011
Joe Dziemianowicz, New York Daily News

Miller gets points for using a bit of narrative sketchiness to good effect... Full Review

Stephen Holden
September 1, 2011
Stephen Holden, New York Times

One of the film's strengths is its detached, even-handed view of someone whose turbulence and fits of rage are ultimately inexplicable, as is often the case in real life. Full Review

Melissa Anderson
August 30, 2011
Melissa Anderson, Village Voice

Even with this blunt treatment of the material, Rottiers appears lost and unsure, never really settling into his overdetermined role. Full Review

Brent Simon
October 2, 2011
Brent Simon, Shockya.com

A stirring French familial drama of simmering resentment, anchored by a searing performance from young Vincent Rottiers. Full Review

Marshall Fine
September 6, 2011
Marshall Fine, Hollywood & Fine

Wrenching stuff, the kind of unrequited love story that, unfortunately, remains all too common in the real world. Full Review

Alison Willmore
September 1, 2011
Alison Willmore, AV Club

Rottiers is excellent at embodying someone who projects vulnerability most when he's attempting strength, and who continually, heartbreakingly searches his mother for signs of attachment or regrets th... Full Review

Sam Adams
August 31, 2011
Sam Adams, Time Out New York

Focuses, unsurprisingly, on family ties, although the kind you'll find here are more likely to choke than comfort. Full Review

Bill Weber
August 29, 2011
Bill Weber, Slant Magazine

A smoothly fractured history of a broken mother-son relationship, which even in its climactic tragedy keeps messy emotions at arm's length. Full Review

Kent Turner
July 11, 2010
Kent Turner, Film-Forward.com

[Claude] Miller is a master of oh-my-God moments that at first seem to come out of nowhere but have been carefully calibrated ..., and here there are plenty. Full Review

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