French drama, set during the First World War, in which a woman hires a young orphan to help out on her family's farm.
Ultimately, and as personified by the relationship between Hortense and Francine – which proves to be the real emotional centre of the film – The Guardians is an exploration of the inevitable erosion of old traditions and the slow emergence of a new way of life.
From its slow-burning beginning, The Guardians develops into an epic melodrama.
In Xavier Beauvois’ fierce, compassionate drama, the first world war casts a terrible shadow over a farming community.
What follows becomes increasingly melodramatic and yet Bouvois doesn’t fully indulge the melodrama, using it instead to make subtler points about the fragility of alliances designed to protect moribund value systems.
General release. Check local listings for show times.