Custody [Jusqu’à la garde] **** (2017, Léa Drucker, Denis Ménochet, Thomas Gioria) – Movie Review

CUSTODY. First rate: totally gripping, disturbing and credible throughout.

French writer-director Xavier Legrand’s engrossing and powerful debut feature comes to UK cinemas on 23 March 2018. Custody [Jusqu’à la garde] is first rate: totally gripping, disturbing, convincing and credible throughout.

Denis Ménochet stars as the seemingly nice hospital security man Antoine Besson, who appeals to the judge and wins shared custody of his 11-year-old son Julien (Thomas Gioria) after his bitter divorce from his wife Miriam (Léa Drucker), although she doesn’t have a good word to say for him, indeed says she fears him and his violence.

Antoine tries to rekindle his relationship with his embattled son, but his dark and troubled past begins to resurface. Ménochet is really quite scary in a realistic, subtly graded performance in a tricky role to play.

Legrand’s terrifying psychological thriller or just plain social drama is often so real-seeming that it is painful to watch but you just can’t, don’t want to, turn away.

Custody [Jusqu’à la garde] is directed by Xavier Legrand, runs 93 minutes, is produced by K.G. Productions, France 3 Cinéma, Centre National de la Cinématographie, is written by Xavier Legrand, shot by Nathalie Durand, produced by Alexandre Gavras, and stars Léa Drucker, Denis Ménochet, and Thomas Gioria.

© Derek Winnert 2018 Movie Review

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