MOVIE OF THE WEEK January 24, 2025: ROSE
A woman mourns the loss of her husband, only to realize that her own life is far from over in director Aurélie Saada’s poignant French drama Rose. Starring Françoise Fabian as Rose Goldberg, the film is a thought-provoking take on family dynamics, a woman rediscovering her individuality after spending decades as a wife and mother, and what it means to grow up and become truly independent, no matter what age you happen to be.
Rose is initially bereft after her beloved Philippe (Bernard Murat) dies. Her comfortable life as his partner is all she’s known for most of her adult life: They’ve lived in the same Parisian apartment for years, raising three children together and becoming grandparents, and he’s handled many things for both of them, from finances to driving the car. She has little motivation to take care of herself and is overwhelmed by the drama that her sons and daughter are dealing with. She’s adrift.
Then a stimulating dinner party and a chance encounter with a handsome bartender/cafe manager (Pascal Elbé) help Rose remember that there can — and should — be more to her than grief, widowhood, and fretting over her kids and their lives. She’s not ready to retreat, to be done with it all quite yet. But whether the rest of the family will be on board for Rose 2.0 is another story, especially since she suddenly seems inclined to share more of her honest opinions on their exes and their issues.
Saada, who also co-wrote the film with Yaël Langmann inspired partly by her experiences with her own mother, tells Rose’s story with empathy and understanding (not to mention lots of lovely shots of Parisian locations). And Fabian is excellent and authentic as Rose, blooming as her confidence and her appreciation for life and everything it has to offer both grow. — Betsy Bozdech
Team #MOTW’s comments:
Loren King What a heartening trend it is to see movies, albeit small, personal ones, about mature women reclaiming their independence and rediscovering themselves in all their complexities. The lovely and lyrical Rose, from French director Aurélie Saada, belongs in the rarefied company with Sebastian Lelio’s Gloria (2013) starring Paulina Garcia and last year’s audacious Thelma starring June Squibb and the bittersweet Driving Madeline starring Line Renaud. Also a sublime star vehicle for a seasoned actress, Rose is anchored by the quietly commanding Françoise Fabian as the title character, a 78 year-old wife and mother who’s unmoored by the sudden death of her husband. While adjusting to life without him, Rose begins to notice the dependencies of her adult children and, by being true to her newfound adventurousness, to break free from them and from the past as she embraces what’s left of her life. Rose isn’t just a tender, appropriately melancholy film about what it means to live; it’s a wise, joyful, and empowering one.
Pam Grady: Left widowed at 78, Rose (Françoise Fabian) falls into profound grief that only begins easing after she meets a free-spirited woman of about her own age at a dinner party, reigniting her own zest for life. She has three children: Pierre (Grégory Montel), the responsible eldest son who has recently become Orthodox, righteousness not reflected in his personal behavior; Sarah (Aure Atika), still hung up on her ex-husband; and Léon (Damien Chapelle), a petty criminal in his 30s and still living with Mom. As Rose steps out of her comfort zone, her behavior is way out of her kids’ comfort zone, leading to conflict over their misunderstanding that as she had to let go when they grew up, they now have to let go as she reclaims herself and insists on finding joy in her last years of life. Fabian delivers a bravura performance as a woman in her eighth decade at last becoming comfortable in her own skin.
Sherin Nicole Aurélie Saada’s directorial debut, Rose, features Françoise Fabian as a Parisian widow experiencing a late-life awakening. Saada and writer Yaël Langmann’s blend of humor and pathos challenges traditional portrayals of older women’s desires with sass. Fabian’s Rose is a vital representation that resonates with warmth, authenticity, and the transformative power of self-assertion when everyone else thinks you ought to be done.
Leslie Combemale For a film essentially about grief and starting over, Rose is decidedly joyful. It is also VERY French. There is, for example, is a multi-hour party in which philosophy and sex are discussed, What potential fans will most enjoy, though, is how well the film captures family dynamics within the context of this very specific Jewish French family, with all its love and mess. They’ll also enjoy the fact that it develops a wide swath of characters beyond Rose. What I’m saying is Aurélie Saada’s film is deep and fun at the same time. No matter the age or gender of those profiled, she makes her characters compelling, creating a story that considers love, life, death and family in a way that offers universal appeal. All that is possible because of the performances that a great ensemble of actors bring to the screen.
Jennifer Merin Rose is a tenderly comedic first feature from French director Aurélie Saada, who co-wrote the screenplay with Yaël Langmann. The story, born from Saada’s relationship with and observations of her aging mother, centers on Rose, a 78 year old Parisian woman who has for decades clung to, enjoyed and loved the conservative conventions of her French-Tunisian-Jewish traditional wife and mother lifestyle. When her husband dies, Rose goes into an extended period of mourning. She sinks into a depression that deeply concerns her adult children, each of whom happens to have some sort of ongoing life crisis that causes her to worry about them, too. As the plot progresses, Rose escapes her need for isolation and begins to free herself from the constraints of her conservative life style — actually alcohol plays a part in loosening her up — so that she discovers her personal power and her joy. She is no longer the homemaker who is satisfied to supervise and sort out the wellbeing of her husband, grown kids and grandkids — she has an awesome resurgence of spirit. And, she likes to dance. Rose is a beautifully crafted film that completely captures an era and culture, then immerses you in them. The superb acting ensemble makes all of the characters relatable. Iconic French actress Françoise Fabian (who starred in Louis Malle’s The Thief of Paris and Eric Rohmer’s My Night with Maud) brings such charm, spirit and elegance to her characterization as Rose that you can’t resist wanting to have Rose — or someone like just her — in your life. Aurélie Saada’s sensitive storytelling leads us to believe that it’s never too late to pursue your dreams and turn them into reality. Rose will warm your heart.
Sandie Angulo Chen: Rose, the directorial debut of French actor and writer Aurélie Saada, is a poignant dramedy about Rose Goldberg, a 78-year-old Jewish-Tunisian-Parisian widow navigating life after the death of her beloved husband. The titular character, portrayed with depth and grace by legendary French actress Françoise Fabian, has three adult children: a choreographer daughter (Aure Atika) fixated on her no-good ex-husband, a doctor son (Grégory Montel) who’s returned to orthodoxy, and a live-in son (Damien Chappelle) who acts as though he’s married to her. Fabian is outstanding as Rose, a woman who, through humor and raw honesty, realizes she needs more than her overprotective children to feel truly alive again. Saada deftly guides her cast to deliver nuanced performances, creating a heartfelt tribute to women brave enough to reinvent themselves in later life.
Liz Whittemore Aurélie Saada’s story of a woman breaking the mold of age-and-stage complacency is lovely. Rose, a recent widow and mother of slightly flailing adult children, moves through grief to find her joy again. Françoise Fabian is marvelous in the titular role. She brings a vulnerable elegance and effervescent that captures your attention. Intimate handheld camera work immerses you in her sadness and joy. Loss, depression, guilt, and transition, Rose embraces the sink-or-swim of parenting and self-discovery, proving growth can be painful but entirely worth it.
Cate Marquis Rose is a magical little film from French director Aurelie Saada, partly inspired by her own mother. The film is a gentle family comedy about a French Jewish Tunisian woman in Paris, who is suddenly widowed and at a loss about the rest of life. Rose has been a traditional wife and mother, raising three children, surrounded by Parisian Jewish Tunisian culture, and letting her husband handle everything else. When he dies, she’s left financially comfortable but also completely bereft and adrift. After the funeral, Rose sinks into deep mourning, paralyzed with uncertainty, neglecting to pay bills or even do self care. Her three loving children try to help and to draw her out, but they aren’t sure what to do. Plus they all are grappling with their own problems. Her daughter Sarah, a choreographer, finally managers to drag Rose out to a dinner party with her artsy friends, which proves an eye opener for Rose. At first, she’s reserved and awkward, until a late arrival, Marcelline, makes an entrance. Marcelline looks older than Rose, yet she’s lively, fun, witty and acts as young as the rest of Sarah’s friends. Marcelline’s bold embrace of life pushes Rose to see things in a new light, and she has a great time at the party. Going forward, Rose embraces life and all the beauty and magic of Paris. She makes mistakes and some poor choices, much to her children’s dismay, but good ones too, particularly in deciding to just live life. ROSE is a delightfully comic and warm tale of a second chance at life, with a wonderful, joyful sampling of Tunisian Jewish family life sprinkled in.
FILM DETAILS:
Title: Rose
Director: Aurélie Saada
Release Date:
Running Time:
Language: French with English subtitles
Screenwriters: Aurélie Saada, Yaël Langmann
Lead Performers: Françoise Fabian
Distribution Company: Cohen Media Group
AWFJ Movie of the Week Panel Members: Sandie Angulo Chen, Betsy Bozdech, Leslie Combemale, Pam Grady, Loren King, Cate Marquis, Jennifer Merin, Nell Minow, Sherin Nicole, Liz Whittemore
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Edited by Jennifer Merin
