In an occasional feature, we present capsule reviews from correspondents who go see the movies that we don't have an interest in seeing. Today, certified nurse-midwife Catherine Ruhl-Blanchard brings an elevated critical expertise to the French film "The Midwife."
If you are expecting a few birth scenes in a movie called “The Midwife,” you won't be disappointed. But freshly birthed babies are mere context for this tale about the messy intricacies of relationships. Catherine Deneuve is Beatrice, an aging free spirit with a newly diagnosed brain tumor. She searches out Claire (Catherine Frot), the daughter of Beatrice's late former lover and a seasoned midwife.
The women's reconnection is often rocky -- Claire is tightly wound and we are drawn into an almost too quick and tidy conclusion. The film's real accomplishment is painting a picture of Claire's tender strength, whether caring for a lost pregnant woman at the clinic or for her dying friend.
Guest
grade: B
BONUS TRACK
The trailer:
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