Everything Went Fine

Emmanuèle Bernheim, portrayed by the talented Sophie Marceau, finds herself grappling with a daunting request from her authoritarian father, André, played by André Dussollier. Recently hospitalized after suffering a stroke, he implores her to assist him in ending his life, a proposal that stirs a storm of emotions within her. Reflecting on her tumultuous past, where she faced continual criticism during her formative years, Emmanuèle feels an overwhelming sense of coercion, as if her father is resorting to his old ways of bullying.

In France, euthanasia is a forbidden act, prompting Emmanuèle to seek alternatives. She reaches out to a Swiss clinic specializing in such procedures. During her visit, she learns from one of the staff that the process mandates André to self-administer a lethal cocktail of drugs—while they can prepare the substances, they cannot be the hands that deliver his end.

As Emmanuèle and her sister Pascale, played by Géraldine Pailhas, begin to devise their plan to transport André across the Swiss border, he bids farewell to his circle of friends. Among them is his cousin Simone, interpreted by Judith Magre, a survivor of a harrowing history in a death camp, who passionately argues against his decision to relinquish his life. Compounding the situation is Gérard, played by Grégory Gadebois, a former lover whose unstable nature leads him to demand a meeting with André in the hospital. Despite Gérard’s insistence on André’s survival, he remains resolute in his desire to die.

Just as the sisters are preparing to carry out their plan, they receive a call from the police—Gérard, concerned for André, has alerted them to their intentions. After being briefly detained, they manage to slip away and take their father out under the cover of an ambulance. However, another layer of complexity arises when it becomes evident that one of the ambulance drivers is a Muslim, who reluctantly expresses his reluctance to participate in their scheme.

Despite the challenges, they successfully arrive in Bern. The following morning, they get the poignant news from a Swiss attendant that André passed away peacefully, with her holding his hand as he slipped away, embodying a bittersweet closure to a tumultuous journey. This heart-wrenching tale explores the intricate dynamics of family, the burden of choice, and the quest for dignity in death, leaving a lingering question: how far would one go for a loved one’s wish?

Last Updated: December 03, 2024 at 14:27