Keswick Film Club - Child's Pose

Synopsis

We seem to have an unintended theme this season; great acting from the female lead. "Child’s Pose" is no exception. This Romanian noir thriller is lead by a universally acclaimed performance from Luminita Gheorghiu as Cornelia, who is the overbearing mother of 20-something Barbu, but is first and foremost a driven, successful architect who is not going to lose it all for anything; her place is at the top.

On the surface, the story is about a mother's love for her son and her desire to be central in his life even now he is grown up. Barbu is fighting for his independence at the same time. When her son has a car accident, for which he may be to blame, she sets out to use her power and influence to sweep it under the carpet...

There are obvious parallels here with the corrupt state of Romania post their revolution. Director Calin Peter Netzer successfully weaves the gripping plot into this political background and the emotional minefield of the mother-son relationship.