GARANCE (Cannes 2026) – Review by Diane Carson
Garance bares an alcoholic’s destructive life
As Garance proves many times over, the life of an alcoholic is a disaster for her family, her friends, and her own life. Knowing the statistics on this disease, there is no question that everyone knows or is part of that unfortunate group. As a case in point, French writer/director Jeanne Herry’s Garance/Another Day presents a prime example of a temporarily, moderately functioning alcoholic. At thirty-six, drinking two liters of white wine a day, and having done so for fifteen years, aspiring actress Garance (Adèle Exarchopoulos) will soon suffer the personal and professional toll such destructive indulgence imparts. Attempting to work while inebriated (as she always is), Garance is fired from her much-needed job dubbing films because of her flubbing lines. Her personal life will follow that downward trajectory as Garance will alienate her sister, lose her keys and her wallet, and make a spectacle of herself more than once.
Most tragically for Garance’s health, the loss of seventy percent of her liver means she’ll be dead by forty. Following her deterioration over eight years, most surprising is that Garance bonds with a devoted, loving partner in Pauline (Sara Giraudeau). Why Pauline stays with Garance is a difficult question to answer–perhaps she discerns Garance’s better qualities or she may also be an enabler who just can’t extricate herself from the situation. Not that Garance isn’t a lot of fun, even the life of the party, and she attempts to find at least one nightly. Her hangovers are awful and then there is the sexual abuse she remains oblivious to, so drunk is she.
There is, surprisingly, humor in the film and a rapid-fire pace of a succession of short scenes that drive the story forward without losing focus or causing confusion. The intermittent scenes with very loud music and exuberant, rave style dancing add to the momentum. They’ve also become an overused staple of attempts to add energy and convey a character’s release. Further, several other scenes awkwardly segue from one into the next, feeling cobbled together without helpful transitions. In the positive column, as Garance, Exarchopoulos holds the screen with a remarkably compelling performance. So convincing is she that Garance becomes a constructive warning to the woman at its center and to everyone to reconsider our alcohol-driven society and the damage it does. Reinforcing that realization, in interviews, Herry speaks of the pervasive problem of alcoholism and the many ways men and women mask their addiction and society enables it. Having thoroughly researched this disease from support groups to academic analysis, Herry then drew on a multitude of stories of past addicts. Integrating the many ways alcoholics manipulate others, deny their illness to themselves and all concerned, and resist change, Herry authentically and powerfully dramatizes one alcoholic’s experiences and her harmful legacy. With this solid foundation, Garance can and should serve as the catalyst for honest self-examination and of others’ behavior with the aim to urge positive change. In French with English subtitles, Garance was chosen for the competition for the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival.
