Familiar Ground (2011) - Stephane Lafleur

Familiar Ground centers around Maryse, a woman who lives a mundane existence with her husband, and Benoit, her brother, an immature man who appears stuck in adolescence.  The two of them live separate lives, not seeming to get along with one and other until a group of strange coincidences, including the arrival of a man who claims to be from the near future, send them both on a road-trip of self-discovery and revelation which changes the two of them forever.  Stephane Lafleur's Familiar Ground is an incredibly understated piece of filmmaking that uses a very minimalistic style to show the magic and wonder of life.  The films ability to see the magic in the ordinary of everyday life is particularly interesting considering how well the film captures the stagnant, mundane existence which Maryse and Benoit feel.  The film uses small details like extreme close-ups and well constructed compositions to capture this mood and emotion of its two main characters through visual means as opposed to dialogue, showing how the two of them really have more in common then they think.  Some could find the film slightly off-putting as it wastes no time explaining the characters, instead opting to throw the viewer right into the story, having them pick up the details of the character's relationships - past, present, and future.  The relationship and understanding of each other that unfolds between the two characters is both genuine and interesting, making for a resonant tale.  While the film is nothing groundbreaking from an intellectual perspective, it managers to show the magic, beauty and bindings of everyday life in a nice quirky quality that never falls victim to the all too common cliches of the genre.

8/10

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