The film takes place in Ouistreham, Normandy (France) on the quay of the ferries that cross the Channel to the UK. The film focuses on the main character Marianne (Juliette Binoche, splendid), a writer who wants to conduct an investigation to describe the daily life of people who live only through precarious jobs, or are unemployed, people affected by the economic crisis. She pretends to be a woman looking for a job, hiding her true high middle-class condition and her intellectual profession. After a few adventures that allow us to grasp the atmosphere in the region in a very palpable way, the writer ends up being hired by a team of women who work at cleaning the cabins of the ferries. She gets the job thanks to Chrystèle (a formidable Hélène Lambert, who is not a professional actress). The film shows the relationships that develop between all the characters in this group of women, who work hard but who also show solidarity. But the film shows, with great simplicity, not good feelings, but rather human bonds of great sincerity.
The relationship between the writer and Chrystèle structure the film and its outcome. Moreover, the script features Hélène Lambert and Juliette Binoche in the first and last scenes. Lambert holds the film with her acting and the intensity of her gaze from start to finish, as much as the professional actress Juliette Binoche. We participate in the joys and sorrows of these women that the hard life does not prevent them from living with determination, pride and even joy.
The film is based on the investigation of Florence Aubenas, a famous journalist, who wrote a magnificent book on the women who work on the ferries after having worked there herself as a hired worker. But Emmanuel Carrère does not offer us a documentary but a real fiction film. He has constructed a script that features the writer (unlike Aubenas' book, "Le quai de Ouistreham", which is silent on her own activity) and actresses, none of whom is a professional. Some of these women knew Florence Aubenas. The film speaks of a writer (and not a journalist) to mark the distance from Aubenas' book. But it draws from the journalist's investigation, and the actresses' life experiences, all the numerous details of the reality of the lives of these persons. And therein lies the main quality of the film: to be realistic, close to documentary, while being a real fiction, a very well paced story; as a result, one never gets bored. We are also struck by the quality of the image, a real challenge in this ungrateful landscape made of port infrastructures, concrete buildings, highways and supermarkets. The quality of the staging is also to be underlined. Strong situations allow the actresses (most of the actors are women) to give full body to their characters in a few minutes: we get to know Chrystèle and the writer during an altercation in the unemployment office; when the friendly relationship between Christèle and Marianne becomes intense, a scene on the sandy beach allows us to express moments of pure happiness; or the simplicity of a walk to the supermarket becomes the occasion for a friendly relationship with a man who is too nice. A moment of pure delirium, such as the scene of the girls cleaning on the boat and locked in a first class cabin, like luxury guests. So many lively moments, sometimes scabrous, always sincere.
In short, it is a real success!
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