All Together

Jean is a romantic revolutionary who nonetheless enjoys the comforts of bourgeois life with his wife. He proposes that the five friends move into one house, seeking companionship and a way to defy loneliness. His plan triggers old tensions, especially with Claude’s past infidelity, and he navigates the fallout with a blend of charm and stubbornness. Ultimately, Jean’s leadership is tested by illness, memory, and betrayal within the group.

Annie is a retired psychologist who worries about not seeing her children and grandchildren. She bristles at the idea of living with friends but remains the emotional backbone of the household, balancing care with pragmatism. Her past affair with Claude and Jeanne adds tension, surfacing in confession and forgiveness. She also pursues practical plans, like building a pool to attract her grandchildren.

Albert shows increasing signs of dementia as the story unfolds, forgetful and vulnerable. His memory lapses affect daily routines and highlight the fragility of identity within a close circle of friends. He remains a central figure in the household’s emotional landscape, often clashing with Jeanne’s explanations while relying on others for support. His condition underscores the communal need to care for one another as time advances.

Jeanne is an energetic American former university lecturer battling cancer, who insists she is cured while remaining physically active. She forms a friendship with Dirk and offers practical guidance on life’s brevity, even sharing past lovers. Her vitality masks a deeper fear of leaving her husband and friends behind, and her presence drives several crucial emotional revelations. She dies after a final, poignant moment with the group.

Claude is an aging womanizer with a history of affairs with Annie and Jeanne forty years prior. He suffers a heart attack and remains morally complex, facing consequences when his past infidelity is revealed. His dynamic with the others is combustible, mixing charm with self-interest, and his actions push the group toward a dramatic reckoning and eventual reconciliation.

Dirk is a German ethnology student who becomes the caregivers’ gardener and a catalyst for new conversations about aging. He moves in to help with Albert and to study France’s aging population, eventually sharing a complicated relationship with Jeanne and later with a new caregiver. His presence adds cultural contrast and a sense of modern curiosity to the group’s age-old routines.