WHEN AN OFFENDER HELPS SENIORS IN A RETIREMENT HOME

« Maison de Retraite », a film by Thomas Gilou, was released on screens on February 16, a week before the scheduled date.

This comedy, stars the actor Kev Adams, also on the poster of « Love is better than life » by Claude Lellouch. Around him, a nice bunch of actors from a previous generation including Gérard Depardieu, Daniel Prévost, Mylène Demongeot, Jean-Luc Bideau, Liliane Rovère, Firmine Richard, Marthe Villalonga, Antoine Duléry, Jarry and Manda Touré.

The film was selected in competition at the Alpe d’Huez 2022 international comedy film festival, but was not selected by the jury chaired by Michèle Laroque. The big winner was Jérôme Commandeur for the film « Irréductible » where he was behind the camera for the second time.

This 25th edition, which was held from January 17 to 23, 2022, was marked by a tribute to Gaspar Ulliel, who died on January 19, and by the absence of the president, Michèle Laroque. The latter, suffering from covid, like the actor Malik Bentalha, had to chair at a distance.

The theme of the movie

Milaan Rousseau, 30, does nothing with his life. He is hosted by his childhood friend, a lawyer, who pushes him to move forward in life. While he caused material damage in a supermarket, nearly killing an old lady, he was sentenced to 300 hours of community service in a retirement home, « Les Mimosas ».

Although he avoids prison, this sentence does not delight him since he does not support the elderly. A veritable nightmare at first and despite his clumsiness, he ends up becoming attached to the boarders who quickly adopted him. A group of 7 inseparable teach him their vision of life, in particular Lino (Gérard Depardieu), a former boxer who teaches him how to defend himself.

Moreover, Milaan gradually discovers that the establishment is taking advantage of the residents’ vulnerability to rip them off. He then decides on a great escape.

Why this movie?

Kev Adams is at the origin of the project with Catherine Diament, as co-author. After their meeting with Thomas Gilou, director of the « The Truth if I Lie » trilogy, filming is scheduled for January 2020. They take the risk of starting although the financing is not finished. Unfortunately, filming had to stop in March, following the pandemic, and Mylène Demongeot was seriously ill with Covid. However, filming was one of the first to resume in a good atmosphere.

Regarding the casting, it is thanks to Kev Adams that the senior team was recruited. Gérard Depardieu had already filmed with him on « Michou d’Auber ».
For his part, Daniel Prévost had filmed in « The truth if I lie 2 » with Thomas Gilou. For Liliane Rovère, Mylène Demongeot, Firmine Richard, Marthe Villalonga or even Jean-Luc Bideau, they are all people well known to the director with whom he wanted to shoot.

In this film, Kev Adams gets closer to his character, Milaan, although very distant in terms of behavior. Milaan is a character wounded by life but who has a lot to learn from life despite its flaws, thanks to people who could be his grandparents.

Through this comedy, we find the subject of the mistreatment of the elderly in certain retirement homes and the scam of which they are often victims by being dispossessed of their property, without forgetting the abandonment and no visit. In 2010, a study showed that 60% of EPHADs in France had experienced at least one scam.

« Maison de Retraite » is a touching film that leaves the viewer thinking, while keeping a comic side. Its release coincides with the scandal that affected the EPHAD Orpea as well as the publication of the book « Les Fossoyeurs » by Victor Castanet (Fayard) which denounces serious problems in these establishments.

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VERONIQUE YANG

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