Family Business

That's what the title means. A woman who has always been the family's punching bag can eagerly dream of the day she will take her revenge on those who treated her like a scapegoat when she was the poor cousin.

Although coming from a high bourgeoisie background,Brigitte (Miou -Miou really ages gracefully) and her grown up children live in a public housing project ;they are at the beck and call of auntie Bertille , who is rolling in it ;fortunately she dies,and during the funeral , they indecently rejoice ....but never count your chickens before they are hatched .....

For poor cousin Eloise is the sole legatee ! and now, it's their turn to be under their former victim's thumb ! The first third of the movie is a true delight : Anemone in the small part of millionaire Bertille and reminding the family of their living in a nineteenth century desirable dwelling; Eloise ,now a heiress ,"taking in charge her family" ,but demanding a project before putting up money for it ,helped by three consultants; when the humiliated members submit their project to her ,they look like students taking an exam : "did everything go off smoothly?"

The movie loses steam in the second third ,although there are at least two or three good scenes in it , including the moment when Paul,whose art gallery has been approved by all-mighty Eloise, and who intends to add a cafe for the visitors to refresh and offers his sister a ....waitress job.

The last third is much less convincing and opts for facile developments (the baby,notably ,is a cliché. Eloise's longing for someone to love another one ) ;we expected more nastiness ,more madness ,and we get (in spite of the scenes harking back to the past) a glorification of the family with a capital F .

It's the same problem as in "Nous Aurions Pu Etre Amies " ,in which ,little by little,as Carole gained assurance,it was at Marithé 's expense !It is as though Ann Le Ny was afraid to get off the beaten track when it came to ending her movies.

There are enough good moments to make your watch worthwhile though.