The Courageous

A single mother tries to raise her three children in small-town Switzerland, whilst time and again coming up against the consequences of her chaotic past. This expertly told and emotionally gripping directorial debut from Jasmin Gordon signals an exciting new voice in European cinema.

Too often films that explore the complexities of living in poverty either linger gratuitously on depressing squalor, or have such a light touch that they wholeheartedly run away from the subject. Instead The Courageous balances hard-hitting moments of desperation with absurdist comedy, as the crafty mother (Ophélia Kolb) will be pilfering spare change from lockers one minute, and stripping naked to distract police officers the next. Both actions remain completely within character, a tough and versatile performance Kolb delivers with delicate navigation. She seems to have absorbed all the baggage of her character’s life, and is only just hiding it from the people she begs for help, her own children, and the audience.

The three child actors’ performances are masterfully accomplished, with each sibling having their own distinct characteristics and foibles. There is something of Lynne Ramsay’s Ratcatcher about the film, as it contrasts the private worlds children create for themselves from what little they have, against the very real suffering of the adults. Every character’s psychology is suggested beautifully by the camera (clever blocking often makes the mother appear to be the same size or smaller than her children). Gordon does a fantastic job balancing the near-fantasy adventures where the children frolic, and the bleak truth the mother is trapped in. Topped off with a score that feels close in spirit to Johnny Greenwood’s music in Ramsay films, and it’s clear we are potentially seeing the start of a great new career in directing.

The slow-burn reveal of how the family has ended up in this state, and the mother’s past mistakes, maintains audience interest and empathy. Kolb is the film’s shining light though, and her portrayal of someone who’s trying to maintain her balance whilst one foot dangles off a cliff makes this movie worth seeking out alone. The fact that the rest of the film is good enough to deserve that performance is frosting on top.