Critic Reviews

• Frank Scheck, Hollywood Reporter

  Niels Arestrup delivers an award-caliber turn as a malevolent patriarch in this gripping melodrama.

• Boyd van Hoeij, Variety

  A classy, full-bodied family drama from Gallic scribe-helmer Gilles Legrand.

• Gabe Toro, The Playlist

  You Will Be My Son traffics in a certain type of melodrama that involves a small drop of tragedy to advance the pieces of a chess board.

• Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality and Practice

  A powerful father-son psychodrama with plenty of emotional fireworks in its depiction of the toxic power of high expectations.

• Harvey S. Karten, Compuserve

  A compelling story of family dysfunction on a French vineyard is buoyed by an Oscar-worthy performance from Niels Arestrup.

• Philip French, Observer [UK]

  It's well acted, slips easily and satisfactorily from the realistic into the melodramatic, and for the unviticultured like myself it is highly informative.

• Rebecca Ellis, Little White Lies

  An acid drama which leaves a deliciously bitter aftertaste.

• Peter Bradshaw, Guardian [UK]

  Legrand handles the absurdity with some style, and there is something clever in making an apparently minor character responsible for a major narrative flourish. An enjoyable spectacle.

• Robbie Collin, Daily Telegraph

  As metaphors for life go, wine has a very high yield, and Gilles Legrand's sensitive screenplay tramples out every last drop of juice.

• Nigel Andrews, Financial Times

  It all ends in tears, bouquet'd with irony, wisdom and bleak comedy.

• David Parkinson, Empire Magazine

  Lustrous photography and a fine cast make this dark drama a compelling one.

• Hannah McGill, The List

  Might [be] a little by-the-book for some viewers, but the feelings have a persuasive, bloody rawness to them.

• Siobhan Synnot, Scotsman

  Perfect for Christmas in the sense that you'll look on your own family a little more warmly after this one.

• Philip Kemp, Total Film

  The only downside is Armand Amar's over-explicit score, underlining every dramatic moment.

• Jim Schembri, 3AW

  Leisurely paced at the outset, director Gilles Legrand builds a considerable head of emotional steam.

• Andrew L. Urban, Urban Cinefile

  Father v son or father & son? A theme frequented by filmmakers, the father/son relationship is powerful terrain for drama and Gilles Legrand explores it with a fearless sensibility

• Louise Keller, Urban Cinefile

  This is a potent story about fathers and sons and filmmaker Gilles Legrand builds beautifully and devastatingly on this theme

Read all 17 critic reviews