The Marching Band: Film Review
The Marching Band, the French feel-good film that’s taken the box office by storm in its home country, is now coming over to our shores.
Emmanuel Courcol‘s film stars Benjamin Lavernhe as Thibaut, an acclaimed orchestra conductor who is diagnosed with leukaemia. In his search for a bone marrow donor, Thibaut discovers he’s adopted and has a biological brother named Jimmy (Pierre Lottin), a cook who plays trombone in a local marching band. When the band loses its conductor, Thibaut steps in and offers to help out and show Jimmy how to do it.
The evolving bond between the two brothers is the beating heart of the story. They have the same DNA and a common interest in music but they are otherwise completely different people and products of their different environments. Thibaut was adopted into a privileged family and he had the opportunity to professionally pursue his musical talents, while Jimmy had a poor upbringing and Thibaut reminds him of everything he doesn’t have. Naturally, there are some resentments and jealousy along the way as their bond develops and deepens.
I expected The Marching Band to be a lightweight comedy because the initial revelations are quite farcical. But this is a rich, dramatic story about the meeting of two worlds. Of course, there are some moments of comedy – Jimmy’s band members made me chuckle a lot – but it’s more serious and heartfelt than expected. Some people might think it becomes too sentimental towards the end but I thought the conclusion was brilliant.
It’s no surprise The Marching Band has been a big hit in France – it’s such a charming, heartwarming film!
In cinemas from Friday 16th May
Check out my interview with Emmanuel Courcol here
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