The Barbarian Invasions

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The Barbarian Invasions ★★★ Les Invasions Barbares 2003 (R)

Writer/director Arcand reunites characters from his 1986 film “The Decline of the American Empire” to capture the last days of lecherous, lustful divorced academic Remy (Girard), hospitalized with terminal cancer in his fifties. Through some pleading by his exwife (Berryman), estranged son Sebastian (Rousseau) reconnects with his father and deftly orchestrates his twilight days. He upgrades his medical care, persuades ex lovers and colleagues to come and see him off, and sneaks him heroin to ease the physical pain. Takes a few jabs at the Canadian health care system while showing how life and death can be celebrated. Sparkling performances by all, with clever writing that avoids being overly sentimental or maudlin, well deserving of its win in Cannes. 110m/C VHS, DVD . CA FR Remy Girard, Stephane Rousseau, Marie Josee Croze, Ma rina Hands, Dorothee Berryman, JohanneMarie Tremblay, Dominique Michel, Louise Portal, Yves Jacques, Pierre Curzi; D: Denys Arcand; W: Denys Arcand; C: Guy Dufaux; M: Pierre Aviat. Oscars '03: Foreign Film; British Acad. '03: Orig. Screenplay; Cannes '03: Actress (Croze), Screenplay; Natl. Bd. of Review '03: Foreign Film.