Perhaps the main reason for watching "Pere et fils" is to catch one of the last screen appearances of the great Pillipe Noiret, who died in 2006. Although this is by no means one of his best achievements, Mr. Noiret was a reassuring sight in any of the films in which he appeared. He had such a screen presence and brought so much delight to the movie going public that he will be sadly missed.That said, this film takes us to meet a French family. Leo, the patriarch sees how his three sons grow distant from one another without any reasonable cause. Leo has to see each son separately, because having them together in one place, is almost impossible. Leo elaborates a plan, one in which he is dying. His one last wish is to go to see the whales in Canada before he dies.The trip does not start auspiciously, as the three brothers cannot make peace with one another. Leo, is told about a woman with special powers that might be able to help him with his malady. Leo, and the sons embark into a trip to the interior of Quebec, where this woman lives with her daughter. The journey will heal the wounds of the siblings. That alone could cure any sick parent that has witnessed such discord among his children. As for the whales, only Leo has the privilege of seeing one as it jumps from the water, something the rest do not get to see.A predictable film directed by Michel Boujenah. This was an obvious vehicle for Mr. Noiret, who runs away with the film. The sons are played by Charles Berling, Bruno Putzulu and Pascal Elbe. The scenes from Quebec are delightful as captured by Patrick Blossier.

This movie had everything to shine, but Boujenah did something I can't understand. He throws away the Quebec accent and replaced it by an accent so clean and polite that even the good family doesn't speak. I took what this population is so proud about like if it was a shame. This alone breaks all the mood of the film and this movie could have been shot anywhere where people speak French and we would have never seen the difference. It's just like throwing away the French bread rod or stealing the monarchy from England...

I saw this movie at the Toronto Film Festival because it starred the great actor Phillipe Noiret. It arrived with little fanfare, compared to a film like "The Barbarian Invasions," which it actually resembles. Well it turned out to be a great film, and actually better than "TBI" in that the relationships between the father and his sons were more clearly defined and developed in this film. It is touching and very funny at the same time. The film also makes some amusing digs at the French Canadians by French people from France! Anybody who sees this film will want to immediately call his or her father up if at all possible, wherever he may be, and tell him how much he is loved, for the film movingly shows the importance and uniqueness of fathers and of the power of reconciliation and forgiveness. The director in the Q & A said he wanted to simply make an entertaining film. What he has created is so much more than that!

This movie was extremely well acted. Of course, Noiret is a little bit too much "noiret-esque", but he's good, as well as the three "boys". But it was a bit long, and it felt like something was missing, that such a plot with such good actors could have make an even better movie.