Two wayward souls meet almost by chance – one a taxi driver forced to take a trip that he feels is a waste of time, the other a lonely passenger with a destination in mind and some deeper reasons for taking such a journey. It’s a common narrative premise, and one that has been the foundation for many fascinating works of art, since it’s a structure that facilitates some deep, meaningful observations on the human condition, especially when it is at its most simple. You may struggle to find a version of this premise more straightforward than Driving Madeleine (French: Une belle course), which follows Charles, who is on both his last nerve and final disciplinary warning, as he is sent to take Madeleine, a quiet and ruminative 92-year-old widow, from her home on one side of Paris all the way to the other – and along the way, the unconventional pair find themselves becoming unexpected companions, their initially icy relationship beginning to thaw as they discover that they have much more in common than they may have anticipated, both of them having experienced an abundance of loss and trauma in their respective lives, with the only difference other than the fact that they come from entirely different generations and cultural backgrounds, is that they handled these challenges in their own way, their conversations revealing the deepest contents of their souls as they come to know more about one another than they ever imagined to be possible. A fascinating work that is not particularly complex, but compensates for its more simple nature through a careful approach to its emotional contents and how it renders some of the more challenging ideas, Driving Madeleine is a charming film, a lovely blend of softhearted humour and warm, melancholic drama, capturing aspects of the human condition that many of us may not have ever imagined to be quite as potent than they are here.

The thematic core of Driving Madeleine is based around a few key ideas. Primary of them all is the concept of memory – both of the protagonists in this film are lonely individuals simply seeking some reprieve from their day-to-day lives, and who find each other at the most opportune moment, as they’re both struggling to reckon with their own choices, reflecting on the past and attempting desperately to reconcile the past and the present as they make their way towards the future. It’s a very obvious concept, and one that certainly does not take much time to establish as the central point that this film sets out to explore, which it does in vivid detail. The past is a dangerous place to dwell, but we all nonetheless find ourselves spending some time there, and good, constructive individuals know the importance of finding the right balance between experience and reality. This is something that we find makes this film quite intriguing, since it pairs two very different characters across from one another, places them in a confined space and allows them to simply relay their innermost thoughts. There is something truly cathartic about unloading your quandaries, questions and anxieties to a stranger, under the belief that you only exist in each other’s lives for a brief moment, and therefore there are rarely consequences to opening up in such a way. Yet, the film examines the precise moment people go from strangers to acquaintances, which emerges through their ability to find common ground and share their journeys when it comes to carrying the unbearable burden of the past. Friendship and the role it plays in defining our identities are all central to this film, which is a far more elegant affair than we may imagine based on a glance at the premise, for reasons that are almost entirely to do with the ideas and their execution. 

Through the process of bringing Driving Madeleine to life on screen, Christian Carion had the challenge of finding the right actors to embody these characters. This is a film driven primarily by the two leads – its their story that anchors the entire film, and therefore required people who could not only balance different kinds of emotions, but to do so in a way that feels authentic and meaningful, which proves to be a bit of a challenge, albeit one that both leads are entirely committed to facing. Dany Boon is very good as the stoic taxi driver whose entire life hangs in the balance as he sits in limbo, wondering when he will be able to finally reap the rewards of a life of hard, challenging work. A very funny comedian who has gradually been working towards establishing himself as a talented dramatic actor, Boon is very good in the role, delivering a performance that is not entirely revolutionary, but has a sincerity that we can appreciate, and a rawness that is usually best-suited to actors who have worked primarily in comedy, a skill that allows someone to develop a strong understanding of humanity and its peculiar minutiae. He is paired with Line Renaud as the titular Madeleine, a seemingly distant, aloof member of the high society who reveals her thick exterior to be the result of decades of trauma, yearning and challenging circumstances, all of which play a part in her developing a sense of deep cynicism towards the outside world. The two leads have terrific chemistry, and while they are drawn from very different backgrounds, there is a charm and consistency to the work that they are doing that feels fresh, earnest and consistently compelling, even when it isn’t always entirely innovative. Reliability is more important than anything else in this case, and both actors are exceptionally good at finding the truth beneath characters that could have been one-dimensional in the hands of other performers who may not have been as aware of the complexities of these parts.

There are certainly many complex ideas embedded in Driving Madeleine, a film that is less about the story and more about the ideas that come alongside these deep, slightly sombre conversations. The execution of this story is one of the merits of the film, and ultimately, the aspect that determines whether it can be considered a success or a failure. The emotions that persist throughout are certainly much more intense than some may be used to – this is after all a story that explores issues around identity, psychology and quite a few real-world events and the role they played in the creation of this woman’s growing sense of deep cynicism towards a world she no longer recognises. There was potential for this film to be an overwrought jumble of intense emotions, and while some may view it as such, there’s a much stronger sense of self-awareness that drives this narrative and which makes it a lot more of a complex affair, one that may sometimes be intentionally quite heavy-handed, but in a way that makes sense and certainly warrants some degree of our affection, even when it is a little bit too predictable at certain parts. There isn’t much of an element of surprise in this film, and by the time we reach the end of Driving Madeleine, we’re not entirely taken aback by the realisation of where this woman was heading. However, considering this is one of the dozen films we receive every year in which the premise can be reduced to “its about the journey, not the destination”, we can at least appreciate the director’s efforts to take a few bold swings, even if they don’t always work out as intended. It’s a very lovely film, and the blend of comedy and sadness is vital to its identity, since there is always something more complex simmering beneath the surface, making Driving Madeleine a far more engaging affair than we may have initially understood.

While it may be considered somewhat pedestrian (no pun intended), it’s difficult to deny the charm of Driving Madeleine, a film that may not be anything particularly innovative, but makes up for its conventional nature through consistently reminding us that there is much more to this story than what meets the eye. There are many aspects that we find drive this story and make it so poignant, even if we aren’t ever entirely impressed by some of its approach – it is very predictable, and can meander at certain points (despite being vital to the story, the flashbacks could have been trimmed down extensively, since they lose their novelty after some time), but it all proves to be relatively strong in terms of how it handles these themes, taking a more quiet, ruminative approach that meditates on vital themes and creates a poetic, engaging glimpse into the mind of a pair of complex characters with whom we easily forge an ironclad relationship, everything that they represent being very much defined throughout this film. Beautifully crafted, with a pair of lovely performances and a script that highlights the major themes without being too focused on the smaller details before it resolves all of the larger ideas. A lovely combination of tones and themes, and driven by nothing but a strong affection for its characters and what they represent, Driving Madeleine is a great film, and one that lingers with the viewer long after it has ended.