Petite Maman is an understated, quiet, introspective French film that really wants me to rate it four stars. And there’s a lot of argument why I should… but I came away thinking it was pleasant but not amazing. Well acted, carefully crafted, and certainly interesting, for sure.

The film is about a little girl whose grandmother has died and her parents are cleaning out her house in the woods. The little girl runs into another little girl while exploring. It turns out she has a house very similar to her own. They form a friendship, they play together, she spends time with her father, and life just unwinds.

I assume the big secret of the film is known but I went in knowing nothing so I won’t reveal more. I will say the ideas are intriguing and there’s a very humanistic casual magical realism to the film. It certainly moves at a sedate, naturalistic pace that certainly won’t be for anyone but the art house crowd.

I felt good for watching the film even if I wasn’t mesmerized by every frame of it. I was certainly curious and intrigued and that’s close enough. Good film.

Score: 82