Le fils de l'épicier (The Grocer's Son) poster & wallpaper
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Nicolas Cazale, Clotilde Hesme, Daniel Duval, Jeanne Goupil, Stéphan Guérin-Tillié ... see more see more... , Liliane Rovere , Paul Crauchet , Chad Chenouga , Benoit Giros , Ludmila Ruoso , Gilles Chabrier , Jean-Luc Boucherot , Gilberte Muguet

Quand Tu Descendras du Ciel director Eric Guirado follows up his feature filmmaking debut with this drama about a grocer's son who returns to the village where he was born in order to take over his fa... read more read more...ther's business. Ten years ago, Antione (Nicolas Cazalé) left his family behind and moved to the big city. Now, after discovering that his father (Daniel Duval) has suffered a heart attack and that the family grocery store will soon be forced to shut down, Antoine heads back to the French mountain town at the behest of his brother François (Stéphan Guérin-Tillié). It seems that few folks save for his mother (Jeanne Goupil) are happy to see Antoine return, though the meandering 30-year-old has brought city friend Claire (Clotilde Hesme) along to keep him company during his stay in the country. Though it remains to be seen whether Antoine and Claire will ever become anything more than friends, the free-spirited sprite is more than happy to help out when it comes to making the rounds with the mobile store that services the local villages. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

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73% liked it

1,974 ratings

Critics

91% liked it

57 critics

Unrated, 1 hr. 36 min.

Directed by: Eric Guirado

Release Date: June 6, 2008

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DVD Release Date: January 6, 2009

Stats: 212 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (212)

  • bottcorecords1
    March 19, 2010
    bottcorecords1
    A little french film from the independent series of films, The Butcher's Son is predictable, never goes beyond exactly what you'd expect, and yet the end result is a pleasant experience. The lead character goes from living life in the city alone, to working at his parent's groce... read morery in the countryside, delivering goods to elderly people in the mobile grocery van (after his father has a some sort of attack and has to go to the hospital). In his city apartment, the girl across the hall, whom he has eyes for, comes with him to the country in order to study for her big entrance exams to college, and of course it's only a matter of time before they fall in love. The lead character is an emotionally detached, alienated youth who only looks out for himself, and he and his family have a great many clashes over this. It's only after driving the grocery van for a period of time that he begins to get some humility and empathy for his fellow man. As I said before, the film is predictable, doesn't take any risks, and had it been made in Hollywood, it most likely would've starred Sandra Bullock. And yet, I don't hold any of this against it. It may not hit the high note, but it's not necessarily trying to. The beautiful scenery and quirky cast help make this film a pleasant diversion.
  • dreamfaeries
    January 31, 2010
    dreamfaeries
    Amazing and beautiful cinematography. It was a very honest movie...
  • bbcfloridabound
    September 29, 2009
    bbcfloridabound
    This film came from the Film Movement Club, a club I had never heard of but after seeing this film I will check out many more of there films. Antoine (Nucolas Cazale) left home and didn't turn back at a young age. That is until his father has a heart attack. He then returns to he... read morelp his Mom run a small European Grocery Store (Quite Different from US Stores). During this time he brings a new girl who helps him run a small van that goes to small towns. At first he hates it but as time goes on he falls in love with the strange people. All in all worth every bit of 4 stars.
  • fb1144932598
    April 23, 2010
    fb1144932598
    An excellent, sometimes infuriating, quiet study of a family dynamic dominated by three very headstrong men. Antoine (Nicholas Cazale) is the youngest son, who has moved to the city to escape what he views as the stultifying boredom of living in the French countryside. When his f... read moreather (Daniel Duval) is stricken ill, Antoine is persuaded to come home to keep the family business afloat. Older brother, Francois (Stephan Guerin-Tillie) runs a hair salon and is dealing with what he sees as a temporary separation from his wife, even though she has been gone for two years and he somehow has manged to keep this from his family. If left to themselves, one gets the feeling these three would claw each other to death, so high are the passions. The matriarch of this clan (Jeanne Goupil) is the glue that keeps the pieces from flying apart like two magnets whose north poles are brought together. Beautiful scenery of a mountainous region of France serves as the backdrop for this tale of Antoine coming to terms with his heritage and learning to shoulder adult responsibilities. Adding interest to the mix is a young woman, Sophie (Ludmila Ruoso), who accompanies him to the countryside even though they are not lovers. There is delight here in abundance, from the interaction between the two young people, and between Antoine and the many elderly people served by a van that traverses the countryside, sort of a mobile grocery store. A simple treatment of a young man's journey to maturity that is all the more beautiful for its simplicity.
  • gator681
    July 6, 2008
    gator681
    [font=Century Gothic]In "The Grocer's Son," Antoine(Nicolas Cazale) is trying to make a living in Paris when he learns that his father(Daniel Duval), who runs a general store in the countryside, has had a heart attack, leaving him incapable of running his store for the near futur... read moree.(Antoine has been estranged from his father for ten years ever since moving to the big city.) His older brother, Francois(Stephan Guerin-Tillie), cannot help since he has his own business to run. Antoine is very hesitant until he quits his job as a waiter. Once that is out of the way, he does move back home, taking his cute neighbor Claire(Clotilde Hesme) with him, giving her the chance to study for her exams in peace and quiet.[/font]
    [font=Century Gothic][/font]
    [font=Century Gothic]"The Grocer's Son" is a nicely photographed and pleasant diversion about the need to enjoy one's job and to always be pleasant when working around other people. In short, the more you put into a job, the more you are likely to get out of it. [/font]
  • juliryan
    August 7, 2011
    juliryan
    There aren't any surprises in the plot of "The Grocer's Son".But that's ok.This movie is about finding your way and discovering that you can go home again. It will leave you feeling hopeful about people's potential to be selfless and find joy in life. You are never too old to cha... read morenge your life. The setting is beautiful Provence.
  • sportsphenom1
    June 25, 2009
    sportsphenom1
    A solid foreign film about selflessness. Great acting and a catchy soundtrack.
  • SunilJawahir
    February 25, 2009
    SunilJawahir
    I liked parts of it but I've seen this story in at least half a dozen French films before and there were no surprises here.
  • alienmindtrick
    July 7, 2010
    alienmindtrick
    The amazing thing about French cinema is that they can produce films like this one that keep your attention riveted to the screen without the flash bang of Hollywood drivel. Nicolas Cazale has become one of my favorite actors too, breezing through his roles with a joie de vivre ... read morethat's so lacking in our average domestic actors. Clotilde Hesme and Liliane Rovere were both a joy to watch, the former with her gamin beauty and the latter with a laugh up her sleeve. If the acting doesn't push you over the edge of your bucket of popcorn on this film, then the lush French countryside will. The serenity of their lifestyle is completely absent in America and we're the less for it. Now I'm on a quest to find another movie like this one.
  • Hamee
    February 23, 2009
    Hamee
    A very endearing story about a man that comes home and finally makes peace with his life and understands what has kept his family going in the grocery business.

View All Le fils de l'épicier (The Grocer's Son) Reviews

Critic Reviews

Monica Eng
October 18, 2008
Monica Eng, Chicago Tribune

For all of its sleepy charms and pretty shots of the countryside, the film doesn't serve up a lot of fresh insights, unless you count finding out what senior citizens buy from grocery vans in these li... Full Review

Mike Mayo
September 12, 2008
Mike Mayo, Washington Post

A film that sticks close to its characters and plays fair with them throughout. Full Review

Steven Rea
September 11, 2008
Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer

The Grocer's Son offers a nicely observed portrait of a man in search of himself, finding his purpose, and finding that, in fact, it is possible to go home again. Full Review

Steven Winn
September 5, 2008
Steven Winn, San Francisco Chronicle

The quiet, patient soulfulness of the film, which Guirado co-wrote with Florence Vignon, lingers. Full Review

Wesley Morris
September 5, 2008
Wesley Morris, Boston Globe

A movie begging this hard to be loved is unattractive. Full Review

J. R. Jones
September 5, 2008
J. R. Jones, Chicago Reader

Unforced and beautifully acted. Full Review

Roger Ebert
August 29, 2008
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

You can probably guess the trajectory of the story. But it's not really the destination that makes this a charmer, it's the journey there, mostly by grocery van. Full Review

James Berardinelli
August 28, 2008
James Berardinelli, ReelViews

Director Eric Guirado has woven an endearing modern-day fable that offers a pleasant 90-minute respite from the worries to be found outside the theater doors. Full Review

Jonathan F. Richards
August 16, 2008
Jonathan F. Richards, Film.com

Though its quiet pastoral charms may not change your life the way they do Antoine's, you'll find the scenery comforting, the humanity reassuring, and the story appealing. Full Review

Kevin Thomas
July 18, 2008
Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times

A love of unspoiled countryside and its sturdy people suffuses this film, which unfolds with subtlety, humor and affection -- and becomes in the process a pure enchantment. Full Review

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