Full time (A plein temps)
Laure Calmy stars as Julie Roy, a busy and hard working maid in a Parisian upscale hotel. The film is a fascinating insight into the French working conditions and re-enforces that all around the world, it is a constant juggle being a working parent.
Laure has a couple of kids, and has a very weary babysitter who is on the verge of quitting due to Laure often being late to pick them up and heaps of last minute desperate pleas for them to be minded. Laure, like other parents all around the world, really struggles with her guilt and frustration of having to have her kids looked after just so she can work. Laure experiences extreme stress and difficulty trying to interview for a better job in her actual profession. Laure performs well in the interview but has to choose between attending another interview for the job or possibly being fired at her hotel job.
During the course of the film, there are a few references to the trade unionist strikes of which France is famous for. The calamity of trains not running and being unable to afford expensive taxis into the city really adds to the heightened tension of watching Julie really struggle to turn up to work and more importantly, to the important job interview.
Calmy’s acting is very genuine in this film. I really loved her facial expressions and mannerisms, especially when she was flustered and stressed as it added an extra level of credibility to the character of Julie.
Whilst at times mildly stressful watching Julie struggle to juggle her working and parenting responsibilities, this film is really good at making the viewer feel anxiety for Julie and an almost hopeless feeling of really wanting to help her out.
Full time (A plein temps) can be found on Kanopy, as well as many other marvellous French and other foreign cinema.
Susannah
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