Tout est parfait – Everything is Fine (2008)

Directed by: Yves Christian Fournier | 118 minutes | drama | Actors: Maxime Dumontier, Chloé Bourgeois, Maxime Bessette, Sébastien Bergeron-Carranza, Jean-Noel Raymond-Jetté, Niels Schneider, Normand D’Amour, Claude Legault, Marie Turgeon, Anie Pascale, Pierre-Luc Brillant, Alexandra Cosentino Dagenais, Martin dubreuil

Sasha (Niels Schneider) is the first of the four to take his own life. Not long after, Alex (Jean-Noel Raymond-Jetté), Simon (Sébastien Bergeron-Carranza) and Thomas (Maxime Bessette) follow. One shoots himself in the head in the cemetery, another hangs himself or jumps off a bridge and drowns. Family and friends are left in shock, full of unpalatable grief. The four teenagers formed a close-knit group of friends. Josh (Maxime Dumontier) was also part of the group. He is left lonely and bewildered. Many think he knew more about his friends’ suicide pact, but he denies. He crawls into his shell, closes himself off from his parents and doesn’t say anything to his psychologist. He doesn’t need pity from anyone. It’s all right, he seems to want to say. Especially to himself. He does need some people. To the beautiful Mia (Chloé Bourgeois), for example, Sasha’s ex. And to Henri (Normand D’Amour), Thomas’s father. People who remind him of his deceased friends…

‘Tout est parfait’ (2008) was directed by Yves Christian Fournier, a French Canadian who made his name as a director of commercials and video clips. His style is very visual, and that is noticeable in this quiet drama: not much is said. Fournier often lets the images speak for themselves. Thematically, ‘Tout est parfait’ is related to the work of Gus Van Sant (‘Elephant’, 2003) and Larry Clark (‘Ken Park’, 2002), who also made films in which young people are confronted with death and/or suicide. But the reason the boys commit suicide – unlike, say, ‘Ken Park’ – is secondary to the effect their deaths have on those left behind. Fournier does not focus on the parents of the teenagers, but on their peers. Josh, who everyone suspects knew about his friends’ plans, is the central character. He is an insider, who finds it difficult to talk about his feelings, let alone express his grief easily. By the excellent Maxime Dumontier he is portrayed as teenagers really are: stiff, withdrawn, contrarian and sullen. Because he says little, it is difficult to get to know him. We learn about his friendship with the other four boys mainly from the flashbacks that Fournier has constructed for us.

Josh struggles to get closer to Mia and Henri. When he’s not with one of them, he wanders around on his skateboard, through Quebec’s most desolate neighborhood. Fournier is at his best when he creates atmosphere, in this case the atmosphere of despondency, loneliness and despair. The handheld camera work is dreamy and wonderful in all its desolation. The term ‘mood piece’ is as appropriate for few films as it is for ‘Tout est parfait’. The director, who also wrote the screenplay, has also gathered a very talented cast, because in addition to Dumontier, Bourgeois and D’Amour also play very strong. Yet ‘Tout est parfait’ also has its downsides. The tone is particularly depressing. Humor is nowhere to be seen, which may give the film a pretentious aftertaste. The stiff and introverted Josh doesn’t immediately arouse a sense of sympathy. Moreover, Fournier also offers little room for a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel. The unconventional ending will not be appreciated by every viewer. Without giving too much away: Fournier leaves a lot of questions unanswered. Not everyone will appreciate that equally well. On the other hand, the public is encouraged to fill in the missing puzzle pieces themselves. Not everything needs to be pre-chewed.

‘Tout est parfait’ is an eye-pleasing visual tour de force full of hushed introspection. Traumatized teenagers have rarely been portrayed so truthfully. Debutant Yves Christian Fournier delivers an intriguing business card. Of course there is still plenty to criticize about his first film, especially in terms of scripting, but this certainly bodes well for his second film. ‘Tout est parfait’ is not a film that can be easily looked away, because of its slow pace, heavy themes and taciturn protagonist. So you really have to sit down for this. For lovers of the better art house film!