Sister (2012) - Movie Review

I first saw Sister (L’enfant D’en Haut) at my local independent theater. It was Oscar season, and only two of the Oscar nominated Foreign Language Films made it to the theater. I didn’t intend to see this film (which was not nominated), but figured it must be pretty good if it made it to my local theater in the place of the other three nominations. In hindsight, there is no rhyme or reason why this film made it and the others did not.

Sister is a French/Swiss film set against the backdrop of a Swiss ski resort. The central character is a twelve-year-old boy, Simon (Kacey Mottet Klein) who meanders around the resort rifling through backpacks for valuables. The young “entrepreneur” makes his living by stealing high-end ski equipment from gloves to goggles to skis. He has an organized system for stealing and hawking his goods. He adjusts this system as he finds new opportunities. Simon does not limit his theft to just equipment. He also steals food, which we learn is the driving force between all of his activities.

Simon lives with his sister Louise (Lea Seydoux). They have an odd, cold relationship rooted in Louise’s inability to keep a job. Louise battles loneliness through casual relationships with men and addiction. It is not uncommon for her to disappear for days, leaving Simon to take care of himself. Yet Simon does more than merely survive. He also supports Louise, providing her with cash and stocking the fridge with food. The relationship is tested as Simon seeks affection that Louise seems incapable of providing. This battle pushes the pair in opposite directions, even though it appears they long to close this gap.

Sister has a linear plot. The pacing trudges along at the beginning of the film before hitting a decent stride midway through. The story avoids cliché and leaves viewers a bit unsettled, able to determine their own outcome. The strength of the film lies in the characters, which are developed with an interesting twist that adds some dimension to an otherwise bland story. This was augmented by an exceptional performance by Klein, who carries the brunt of the film on his shoulders. Seydoux delivers an intriguing antagonist, adding a slight edge to the chilled relationship. The dialogue was excellent, although absent during the slow stretches.

Sister was not rated by the MPAA. If it were, it might eke out a PG-13 rating. The film doesn’t have much outright objectionable material. The film delves into issues of family dysfunction, theft and addiction. However, there is not much in the way of vivid depictions. The film has no nudity and modest adult situations. The language is sharp at times, but not vulgar. The subject matter deals with strained familial relationships that will easily be lost on younger viewers. The substance of this film is geared towards adults, but I would not see any reason to object to any age group viewing it.

Sister was not a bad film. It was the official Swiss submission for Best Foreign Language Film for the Oscars, although it did not make the “short list.” What surprised me is that this film made it to my local theaters in place of three films that did make the short list. I think this fact raised my expectations. For that reason, it fell short. The story was decent, but sluggish at times. The acting and characters made the film. Overall, a worthwhile film to watch if it is streaming free. 6.5/10.