Small World

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Small World
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this movie.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Small World is a French drama, with English subtitles, about a handyman living with Alzheimer's, which results in childhood flashbacks and the revealing of long-kept secrets. Smoking is portrayed and characters are seen consuming alcohol, although drinking to excess is only referenced, not shown. Gerard Depardieu plays Konrad, whose illness leads to increasingly erratic behavior with characters reacting differently to his condition. Thomas (Niels Arestrup), the head of the wealthy family that Konrad works for, quickly becomes frustrated and intolerant of Konrad. However, Thomas' soon to be daughter-in-law, Simone (Alexandra Maria Lara), cares for Konrad and shows him empathy and compassion. Konrad himself is a sympathetic character but not a role model as such, because despite his kindly nature and because of his condition he increasingly lacks self-awareness. Konrad endangers himself on more than one occasion and becomes distressed in others, leading to a minor struggle and some peril. There is also one scene where a character's face is slapped and it causes a small nosebleed. The main family's wealth is reflected in their lifestyle -- characters attend and host lavish events, and are shown with expensive items. Sex is alluded to and heard rather than shown, with some on-screen kissing. There is no swearing, but dementia is stigmatized by some characters who refer to Konrad's condition using non-inclusive language. The movie is adapted from a book and also goes by its original title Je n'ai rien oublié.
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What's the Story?
SMALL WORLD follows Konrad (Gerard Depardieu), a kindly handyman for a wealthy French family, whose health declines resulting in the revealing of some family secrets.
Is It Any Good?
This limp French family drama has good intentions, but fails to make the most of its talented cast. Small World is a slow-paced examination of how an outsider's worsening dementia slowly reveals some long-buried secrets. But one of the film's biggest problems is that it's never entirely clear how much Depardieu's Konrad has regressed to a child-like state because of his condition or how much of his nature has always been both simple and taken advantage of by his wealthy employers. This results in leaving far more questions than answers.
Alexandra Maria Lara's Simone helps peel back some of the layers. But the finale is fairly tame and her would-be in-laws are all so entitled and underdeveloped that it's difficult to invest in their lives, or care what happens to them. Small World can be commended for taking a sensitive approach to the distress declining health causes both its sufferers and those closest to them. But it has none of the mastery that The Father and other movies have shown in dealing with the same subject matter.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how Alzheimer's disease is portrayed in Small World. How did Konrad's illness impact him and those around him? Have you encountered anyone living with dementia? If so, how did this portrayal compare? Was it realistic?
How did the filmmakers use "flashbacks" to tell the story? What other movies have you seen that have used similar techniques?
How did Simone and Thomas' attitudes toward Konrad and his illness differ? What character strengths did either of them show?
How did the movie portray smoking? How was it different in that regard to an American movie?
Discuss Thomas and his family's wealth. How did it define them as people? What are the dangers of putting too much emphasis on material goods?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: March 4, 2014
- Cast: Gerard Depardieu, Alexandra Maria Lara, Niels Arestrup
- Director: Bruno Chiche
- Studio: Rézo Films
- Genre: Drama
- Topics: Book Characters
- Run time: 93 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- Last updated: August 25, 2022
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