Paris 70 (2024)

-Written by Kyle Bain.

Jan (Alain Hernández) has been forced to take care of his mother, a woman suffering greatly from alzheimers. While his life has certainly become more complicated since he’s been tasked with this, he’s finding her regular inquisitions regarding his deceased father to be the most troubling aspect of their relationship. Paris 70 explores the relationship between mother and son, and how beautiful memories can change the landscape of a tedious and trying time. 

Paris 70 is, for the most part, a straightforward film that tells a story that we’ve all seen and heard so many times before. The film depicts a struggle between a parent and child, but it throws a wrench into the standard algorithm and introduces viewers to something that holds an emotional weight so heavy that it’s nearly impossible not to appreciate. After about five minutes Paris 70 transitions to a space that is interestingly lighter than what had come before–and while it is, in fact, lighter–it manages to retain a sense of gravity that never subsides. The most beautiful moments, the ones in which Jan and his mother connect the most, those were the ones that weigh on you. 

There’s an interesting balance sandwiched between emotionally draining moments. Director Dani Feixas Roka intentionally takes viewers on a rollercoaster ride, shifting tonally and emotionally again and again as the film progresses. The constant shift keeps viewers on edge, unsure of what will ultimately happen by the film’s conclusion. While we certainly have an inkling of what will occur by the end of Paris 70, the ability of Roka to shift effectively from tone to tone allows viewers to remain hesitant of their predictions. The ebbs and flows present in this film are what ultimately allow viewers to remain present. That’s certainly not to say that the rest of the film isn’t brilliant, because it is–but this aspect of Paris 70 is the most compelling. 

While there’s a strong emotional relevance present in Paris 70, the film is effectively a character study that analyzes the relationship between a mother and son. The film takes a semi-unique approach toward accomplishing this, creating a series of compelling situations that take viewers on a bumpy ride. The narrative certainly reaches outside of the norm (even just a bit), but is so incredibly grounded, allowing viewers access from start to finish. 

Paris 70 is an emotionally driven film that remains grounded throughout. While maybe some of the plot devices feel slightly outside of the norm, Roka does a spectacular job of allowing his film to remain accessible. The film is, again, an emotional rollercoaster, one of the more emotionally trying films I’ve seen in some time. 

Directed by Dani Feixas Roka. 

Written by Nach Solís. 

Starring Luisa Gavasa, Alain Hernández, & Neus Asensi. 

8.5/10 = WORTH RENTING OR BUYING