‘The Origin of Evil’ follows a woman who seeks out her estranged father and becomes entangled in a ruthless fight for the family empire.
Some people are never satisfied with the life they have, convinced the grass is greener on the other side. Thus, they spend all their energy begrudging what they have and plotting to get what they want. Of course, not all dreams are attainable… or at least not legally within reach. So, they must decide how much they are willing to risk to get what they want and what they’re willing to do to keep it. In The Origin of Evil, a woman seeks out a family reunion, but not everyone welcomes her with open arms.
Stéphane (Laure Calamy) is holding down a factory job and renting a room from a kind, motherly older woman. She doesn’t have much of a social life outside visitations to the local prison. But when her situation becomes less stable, she decides to reach out to her estranged father, Serge (Jacques Weber). He’s created a business enterprise, but his health is failing and his wife, Louise (Dominique Blanc), is an unabashed shopaholic. His daughter, George (Doria Tillier), has been running the business in his stead and is ready to take it over full-time – whether he wants her to or not. Stéphane finds herself embroiled in the family drama, which her presence only fuels. But she’s keeping secrets of her own that could unravel everything.
Upon initially observing the family, one gets a strong Succession vibe. Serge is determined to hold onto the reins until his dying day. He insists all his mental faculties are still intact, even if his body is diminished. Louise has claws that she generally keeps retracted, though she does like to extend them to take a swipe once in a while. George is cutthroat like her father and doesn’t mince her words, bluntly telling anyone what she thinks of them. In the meantime, Stéphane tries to be the ray of sunshine breaking through the clouds that loom over all their lives… but there’s something lurking behind all the light.
As the narrative continues, its sinister undercoat begins to show through. Everyone’s playing an angle, trying to get what they want out of the situation. Serge and George are pretty clear about what their end goals are and what they’re willing to do to achieve them. But Stéphane insists she didn’t return for the money, making it more difficult to determine her ulterior motives, if any. The deeper she becomes entangled with the family, the darker their affairs become. Extreme measures are eventually required and it turns out everyone is capable of worse than one would expect. Consequently, the conclusion is dark and brutal… and somewhat foolish after a series of thoughtful moves.
The Origin of Evil had its North American premiere in the Contemporary World Cinema programme at the Toronto International Film Festival.
Read other reviews from the festival.
Director: Sébastien Marnier
Starring: Laure Calamy, Doria Tillier and Jacques Weber
