Written and directed by Faustine Cros, co-written by Ivo Neefjes, her father immortalized in family films the most beautiful moments of his life, while her mother’s difficulties hit the blind spot of his images. Today, Faustine Cros revisits these images to tell a different story: that of a woman who sees her role as a mother take away her freedom step by step.
It’s always an interesting topic to look at how our perception of events continually changes as we age and especially when it comes to our own family, which is exactly what A Life Like Any Other does. Faustine Cros asks a lot of interesting questions about motherhood and identity, as well as how to sustain both of them at the same time. Doing that while heavily relying on home videos would usually be a sincere challenge, if it weren’t for the fact that Cros’ father practically documented their entire childhood. Having that rich library of videos available is a little bit crazy but at the same time, it’s very helpful in this case.
Things start out in the way all home movies do, with some sweet, family moments but put in this context, they’re tinged with sadness. The way that they’re cut together allows us to see the changes to her mother, and how signs of mental health struggles can be subtle. When you know what you’re looking for they’re easier to find but in the casual, everyday moment, they can be missed. That idea of holding onto who you were before motherhood is a very interesting conversation, and how feeling like you’ve lost that can be devastating.
Cros does a great job of exploring those conversations, particularly in that the family approach it in such a refreshingly non-confrontational manner. So many others might feel accused by these questions, whereas this family have an open conversation. It makes the tone nicely casual while still aware of the weight to these subjects. There’s a great balance between the present and the past, it moves very smoothly and while Cros may put herself on camera, she never takes the limelight, keeping the focus on her mother. Something which sounds simple but many filmmakers can get lost when putting themselves in their own work.
A Life Like Any Other is a deceptively interesting documentary, it asks a lot of questions and a lot of the time doesn’t need to ask them aloud. The mix of home videos and interviews is done really well. The pacing and progression flow very nicely, allowing it to develop but without forcing the conversation. It’s personal and intimate but doesn’t get too heavy, it has a unique charm and is sadly a topic most mothers have been reluctant to talk about within a society that typically shames women for putting themselves ahead of their children in any sense. Thankfully in recent years, the conversation is opening up so we recognise the importance of discussing the mental health of mothers and finding balance in motherhood.
FilmCarnage.com 