The Marching Band (15) |Close-Up Film Review
Dir: Emmanuel Courcol France 2024, 104 mins.
Cast: Benjamin Laverne, Pierre Lottin, Sarah Suco
French with English subtitles
Review by Carlie Newman
He finds Jimmy (Pierre Lottin), who was also adopted, but by a much poor family than Thibaut. Jimmy works in a cafeteria. He is also a musician in a marching band at a factory that is about to close but Jimmy is a self taught trombone player. Jimmy is envious of Thibaut’s comfortable upbringing, but when he finds that he is compatible, he agrees to be the bone marrow donor.
How the two very different brothers bond over music, develop a relationship and work together in an atmosphere of protests around the closure of the factory, which is the heart of the little town near Lille, giving employment to many, is the core story of this movie.
Professional actors are mixed in with real marching band musicians, and together they give realistic portrayals of the marching band players. The two leads present a tender and moving male couple. There is tenderness, comedy and a real community spirit shown here to a background of exceptional music. You might need a few tissues towards the end!
