There’s something quite peculiar about The Heroics (French: Les héroïques), a particularly off-kilter quality that persists throughout the film. Perhaps it’s the tone, which oscillates between hilarious and tragic with very little difficulty, often in the same scene. It could possibly be the narrative, which is about as meandering as the main character’s life. The most likely answer is that it is a combination of both of these elements, which form the foundation for this absolutely stunning film by Maxime Roy, who proves himself to be one of the most interesting young directors in French cinema, with this film being one of the year’s most wonderfully surprising. A small but powerful comedy about people in need, The Heroics covers many challenging topics, amongst them the feeling of aimlessness that happens when someone is trying to recover from decades of drug addiction, or the sensation of hopeless despair that comes about as a result of their realization that their life has been inextricably changed through substance abuse, with family and friends consistently cautious of the risks that come with recovery. A comedy that tackle serious subject matter in a way that is never overwrought, The Heroics is an exceptionally special film, especially in the areas in which a lesser film would have resorted to heavy-handed commentary, instead keeping its execution effervescent for the most part, which forces the more difficult moments to strike us even harder, turning this film into one of the most deeply melancholic, but oddly upbeat, cinematic parables of recent years.

Roy, whose vision is distinct and already established despite his young age, writes and directs this film with the experience of someone from a previous generation, inheriting many of the qualities of his cinematic compatriots that came before him. Had there been a chance for Éric Rohmer to make a film about a former punk holding onto the last vestiges of his youth (despite being far from his prime), The Heroics would very likely be that film, at least in spirit. Roy approaches this story not as a consistent narrative that is defined by clearly defined arcs and conventions, but rather as a stream of moments, a series of snapshots into the lives of these characters as they go about their daily routine, doing whatever they can to survive in a hostile world. This is a perfect case study for how a single story could deviate in two wildly different directions – either, it could have become a heartwrenching drama that dives deep into the most haunting recesses of the human condition, or it could be a beautifully poetic comedy about life, death and everything in between. Somehow, Roy manages to make The Heroics a perfect encapsulation of both, effortlessly moving between them, both in terms of the specific scenarios our characters find themselves in, and the tone and atmosphere that is present at these moments, which supplements the story considerably. It’s a masterful example of controlling the mood of a film to fit in with the specific situation, never being too overly confident in its skills, nor being opaque in its intentions. It makes its aims clear from the first moment, and while it may have a few well-placed twists and turns, narratively speaking, there is also a sense of authenticity in how Roy tells the story.

We always know exactly where we stand with The Heroics, which only makes it an even more heartwarming experience, since we feel as if we are being invited to accompany these characters on this strange but riveting metaphysical journey, not as observers, but as friends. It almost feels as if we are being thrust onto the back of that rickety motorcycle, traversing the Parisian landscape alongside these individuals, who are both entertaining and authentic. Putting aside the very serious subject matter (since it would be downright insulting to just a few The Heroics as a cautionary tale about drug addiction and familial strife), we constantly feel at ease within this world. Roy introduces us to characters who are relatable and charming, even when their flaws are extremely prominent, and the situations they find themselves in often border on absurd. It’s the careful balance of both the comedy and drama that allows the film to have such an authentic approach, since each scene builds on the last, adding nuance and introducing the audience to new details present in these characters, who are far more complex than we’d imagine based on a cursory glance. We instantly fall in love with most of the characters, even when their behaviour borders on cruel or wildly inappropriate – and its the sign of a great writer when they can easily convince us that someone who embodies the spirit of an aimless slacker who has very few qualms in outright manipulation to get ahead, is a perfectly decent, earnest person whose ingenuity in playing the system should cancel out his dishonesty, which are supposedly nothing more than little white lies, done for the greater good, or rather what the characters considers to be a good cause, even if it means stepping on those who he genuinely cares about for the sake of surviving another day, which becomes a more bleak reality the more he voyages through this new stage of life.

Michel is a difficult character not to adore – the first moment we encounter him, he is engaging in a spirited soliloquy where he discusses his journey to sobriety, and the difficulties he’s encountered in trying to remain sober, a path that he didn’t expect to be so difficult. In the next scene, he is speeding through the streets of Paris, both of his sons (one of whom is only 10 months old) perched on the back of his motorcycle, which is only a few wrong turns away from falling apart entirely. The Heroics depends almost entirely on how Roy defines this character, so it makes sense that François Creton (who also co-wrote the film) would be turning in an exceptionally strong performance. The role required someone who could understand the inherent contradictions associated with the character – after all, he is a man who proudly sports a bomber jacket with the word “loser” sprawled across the back, but yet considers himself a winner in nearly every scenario. Naturally, this outward confidence conceals an internal sadness that manifests behind closed doors, when he is forced to address his addiction, and how it has essentially robbed him of many decades of fruitful life, his decision to prioritize a needle over his loved ones forcing his family and friends to perpetually stand at a distance, caring for him from afar, since going too close with undoubtedly cause them to fall victim to his tendency towards manipulation. The Heroics is a film that builds itself on its ability to place a man who is so inextricably flawed at the centre, and explore his shortcomings without being derisory or hateful, instead presenting Michel as a man trying to recover, but finding it far more difficult than he imagined. Both the director and Creton do exceptionally well in defining the character and bringing him to life, allowing the film to flourish almost entirely on the strength of this beautiful but heartbreaking performance.

For Michel, we reside in a dog eat dog world, and he aims to consume as much as he can before he is inevitably devoured by the system that he considers to be not only restrictive, but entirely unfair to anyone vaguely deviant from the status quo – hence, the film being labelled as “a Parisian portrait of a punk generation”, since it possesses that same revolutionary spirit and disdain towards normative culture. Yet, this is not a film centred on lamenting the past – if anything, the punk origins of the main character are viewed as regressive and a remnant of the past. If anything, The Heroics is a film about change – both the inevitability of major alterations to our lifestyle, and the ability to recover from our ailments, whether they be physical or mental, as long as the right amount of effort is put in. Undeniably, this is a difficult subject and Roy understands the scope of the story he set out to tell – but working with Creton on crafting this brutally honest but insightful deconstruction into the mind of an addict hopelessly trapped in the past, he manages to put together a compelling portrait of a man trying to recover, but finding the path to sobriety filled with many more insurmountable obstacles than he initially imagined. Taking on this intimidating subject and filtering it through a lens of heartwarming comedy only enriches the film and makes it more endearing, adding a level of charm to an otherwise very serious film. The Heroics is not an easy film to watch at times, but it is an essential one – and combining the upbeat comedy and very sobering message, the result is a film that navigates between genres, and conveys a very important message, proving that sometimes the best way to overcome even the most seemingly impossible challenges is through humour, which remains a source of healing and recovery.