An Ideal Father

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Overview

Michel, the jovial owner of the only café in a small Normandy town, sees his life turned upside down when his teenage daughter is murdered. The community has his back but soon rumor spreads and Michel is singled out. From the ideal father, he becomes the ideal culprit.

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Cast

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Laurent Gerra
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Eddy Mitchell
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Laure-Lucille Simon
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Jérôme Kircher
Director:
Hélène Fillières
Writer:
Claude Scasso, Hélène Fillières
Release Date:
2024-04-21
Run Time:
90m
Genres:
Drama TV Movie
Keywords:
friendship broken murder mystery
Financials and Popularity

Budget: Not Declared

Revenue: Not Declared

Vote Average: 6.3/10

Vote Count: 122 Votes

Movie Popularity: 0.4422

Spoken Languages: French

Review

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  1. Insomniacs Reviews
    8 Based on 1 Votes
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    ⭐ Insomniacs Rating: 8/10 THE SUMMARY Also known by its original title "Papa," this Hong Kong drama from director Philip Yung is a devastatingly quiet exploration of a father’s worst nightmare. Sean Lau stars as Nin, a humble café owner whose life is obliterated when his teenage son, suffering from a sudden schizophrenic break, murders Nin’s wife and daughter. The film skips through time, following Nin as he navigates the hollow wreckage of his existence while continuing to visit his son in a psychiatric prison. It’s a haunting study of unconditional love and the agonizing search for "why" in the face of an unthinkable tragedy. THE PROS Sean Lau is the absolute business here; he delivers a masterclass in "micro-acting," where every twitch of his face conveys a decade’s worth of grief and resilience. It’s an 8/10 because the film’s non-linear structure perfectly mimics the way memory works—fragmented, stubborn, and often painful—making the emotional impact feel incredibly honest. The 4:3 aspect ratio is a winner, creating a boxed-in, documentary-like feel that traps you in Nin’s claustrophobic world. It’s a sincere look at mental health and parental guilt that avoids the sensationalism of most "true-crime" inspired flicks. The cinematography is high-quality, finding a strange, quiet beauty in the mundane details of Nin’s solitary life, from the steam of a kettle to the sterile halls of the prison. THE CONS It earns an 8/10 because the middle part is quite sluggish, with some of the time-hopping sequences feeling a bit disjointed and hard to track on a first watch. The pacing is a bit of a "head-scratcher" at times, lingering on Nin’s pedestrian routines to the point where the narrative momentum almost grinds to a halt. It misses a higher mark because the supporting characters, outside of the immediate family, are a bit thin, serving more as background noise to Nin’s internal monologue. While the 4:3 framing is artistic, it might feel a bit restrictive for viewers who prefer a more expansive cinematic experience. It’s a heavy, draining watch that doesn't offer any easy answers, which might be a bit much for a casual Friday night. THE VERDICT An 8/10. A gripping and deeply moving piece of cinema that is a winner for anyone who appreciates a serious, character-driven drama. It’s a sincere tribute to the endurance of the human spirit and one of Sean Lau’s best performances to date. While it doesn't quite reach "epic status" due to its intimate, small-scale focus, it’s a total banger for those who want a film that actually has something profound to say. A decent shout if you’re in the mood for a quality "cry-fest" that stays with you long after the credits roll. INSOMNIAC TRIVIA • True Crime Roots: The story is loosely inspired by a real-life tragedy that occurred in Hong Kong in 2010, though director Philip Yung chose to focus on the psychological aftermath for the father rather than the crime itself. • Leading Legend: Sean Lau (Lau Ching-wan) is a veteran of Hong Kong cinema, and this role has been hailed by critics as one of his most "honest" and stripped-back performances in his 40-year career. • Aspect Ratio Choice: The film’s 4:3 framing was a deliberate choice to evoke the feeling of old family photos and home videos, emphasizing the loss of the "ideal" family life Nin once had. THE VIBE Like a cold cup of tea in a quiet kitchen. It smells of old newspaper, disinfectant, and the metallic tang of a locked gate.

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An Ideal Father

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  1. Insomniacs Reviews

    ⭐ Insomniacs Rating: 8/10

    THE SUMMARY
    Also known by its original title “Papa,” this Hong Kong drama from director Philip Yung is a devastatingly quiet exploration of a father’s worst nightmare. Sean Lau stars as Nin, a humble café owner whose life is obliterated when his teenage son, suffering from a sudden schizophrenic break, murders Nin’s wife and daughter. The film skips through time, following Nin as he navigates the hollow wreckage of his existence while continuing to visit his son in a psychiatric prison. It’s a haunting study of unconditional love and the agonizing search for “why” in the face of an unthinkable tragedy.

    THE PROS
    Sean Lau is the absolute business here; he delivers a masterclass in “micro-acting,” where every twitch of his face conveys a decade’s worth of grief and resilience. It’s an 8/10 because the film’s non-linear structure perfectly mimics the way memory works—fragmented, stubborn, and often painful—making the emotional impact feel incredibly honest. The 4:3 aspect ratio is a winner, creating a boxed-in, documentary-like feel that traps you in Nin’s claustrophobic world. It’s a sincere look at mental health and parental guilt that avoids the sensationalism of most “true-crime” inspired flicks. The cinematography is high-quality, finding a strange, quiet beauty in the mundane details of Nin’s solitary life, from the steam of a kettle to the sterile halls of the prison.

    THE CONS
    It earns an 8/10 because the middle part is quite sluggish, with some of the time-hopping sequences feeling a bit disjointed and hard to track on a first watch. The pacing is a bit of a “head-scratcher” at times, lingering on Nin’s pedestrian routines to the point where the narrative momentum almost grinds to a halt. It misses a higher mark because the supporting characters, outside of the immediate family, are a bit thin, serving more as background noise to Nin’s internal monologue. While the 4:3 framing is artistic, it might feel a bit restrictive for viewers who prefer a more expansive cinematic experience. It’s a heavy, draining watch that doesn’t offer any easy answers, which might be a bit much for a casual Friday night.

    THE VERDICT
    An 8/10. A gripping and deeply moving piece of cinema that is a winner for anyone who appreciates a serious, character-driven drama. It’s a sincere tribute to the endurance of the human spirit and one of Sean Lau’s best performances to date. While it doesn’t quite reach “epic status” due to its intimate, small-scale focus, it’s a total banger for those who want a film that actually has something profound to say. A decent shout if you’re in the mood for a quality “cry-fest” that stays with you long after the credits roll.

    INSOMNIAC TRIVIA
    • True Crime Roots: The story is loosely inspired by a real-life tragedy that occurred in Hong Kong in 2010, though director Philip Yung chose to focus on the psychological aftermath for the father rather than the crime itself.

    • Leading Legend: Sean Lau (Lau Ching-wan) is a veteran of Hong Kong cinema, and this role has been hailed by critics as one of his most “honest” and stripped-back performances in his 40-year career.

    • Aspect Ratio Choice: The film’s 4:3 framing was a deliberate choice to evoke the feeling of old family photos and home videos, emphasizing the loss of the “ideal” family life Nin once had.

    THE VIBE
    Like a cold cup of tea in a quiet kitchen. It smells of old newspaper, disinfectant, and the metallic tang of a locked gate.

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