Mon Cousin Film Review
The yin-yang symbol appears in the opening credits of “Mon Cousin” (2020), signaling the conflict of personalities that is about to unfold. Pierre Pastié (Vincent Lindon) is the tenacious and single-minded CEO of a family business, a company he rescued from the brink of collapse. Adrien Pastié (Francois Damiens), his cousin, is a playful free spirit who believes money is a secondary concern in life.
The dispute between the two is laid out in the initial and typically manic sequence from director Jan Kounen, in which Pierre Pastié is trapped in an elevator and then nearly flattened by a bus. Pierre is desperate to obtain Adrien’s signature on a document guaranteeing the company shares will remain in the family. If not, Pierre’s dream acquisition of a British winery will fail to materialize.
Adrien, for decades involuntarily excluded from Pierre’s insular existence, uses his newfound leverage to insert himself into Pierre’s life. On Adrien’s first day at the office, he learns the latest ad campaign touts the company’s libations as “the taste of taste.” What Adrien knows however, and what is gradually revealed to the viewer, is that Pierre lost all sense of taste and smell as an adolescent. How? He nearly drowned saving Adrien’s life. The incident explains Adrien’s hero worship of his cousin. Consequently, when Adrien accidentally reads Pierre’s text messages referring to himself as a “nutter” and “crackpot”, he is deeply wounded and retaliates.
Neither character is a villain in this piece. Pierre, although sometimes blunt and exacting, is portrayed as a man who deeply feels his obligation to provide for his employees and his family. His flaw is refusing to acknowledge his physical limitation and living a deception. Adrien, for his part, develops some business acumen and orchestrates a dream deal for Pierre.
“People need love and to see that they’re loved,” is the philosophy espoused by Pierre’s wife. Adrien’s attachment to Pierre is experienced as suffocating, though. The only solution offered by “Mon Cousin” is for Pierre to change his point of view and embrace the relationship.
It makes sense within the context of the film, which falls into the category of a feel-good comedy. Written by Fabrice Roger-Lacan, with additional dialogue by Jan Kounen and Vincent Lindon, the film is a multi-layered examination of an adult family relationship. Kounen, whose previous features use profanity and nudity in abundance, tones down his style here, helping to make “Mon Cousin” palatable to a wider audience. Fans of “Professor T” will appreciate the use of dream and subjective thought sequences throughout the film, as well. While “Mon Cousin” did not perform well at the international box office, I hope it finds an audience in the streaming market.
“Mon Cousin” is currently streaming Amazon Prime Video.
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