Farewell, Home Sweet Home
Farewell, Home Sweet Home
| 01 December 1999 (USA)
Farewell, Home Sweet Home Trailers

Nicholas is the eldest son of a wealthy suburban family, whose businesswoman mother makes deals from a helicopter and has an affair with her business partner. His cheerful, alcoholic father, on the other hand, is reduced to a prisoner in his room with his devoted dog and electric train set. Unbeknownst to his parents, Nicholas works as a window cleaner and dish washer in a Parisian cafe. He is also in love with the daughter of another cafe's owner, who, however, has an abusive boyfriend. One night, Nicholas sneaks a few drunken drifters into his family wine cellar and his father unexpectedly takes a liking to the stranger.

Reviews
Steinesongo Too many fans seem to be blown away
Stometer Save your money for something good and enjoyable
Matylda Swan It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties.
Roxie The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;
denial-3 I understand the purpose of the director to tell stories that aren't stories, but the way he tried to show time passing by (the couple of joggers, who first appear jogging together, than jogging with a stroller (sic!), than the man alone...) and to link the "adventures" of the characters (the final scene, with the maid climbing a mountain seeing the big black guy on another cliff, and then seeing the boat with her former employer and saying "Oh, a boat!") were awful. At the same time, I liked the way he portrayed the middle-high class, even in an excessive way. I think it is a lousy movie. If you want to watch it, do it as a film school student, trying to see technical aspects and issues. It will help a lot.
Keith F. Hatcher Here indeed is film-making in its purest art form. Iosseliani has, in this film, the only one of his I have had the greatest pleasure of seeing, manages to evoke such subtle ideas in each pan, in each scene, which in themselves are miniature stories, each one a little jewel, which little by little begin to string along, creating a thread which tells the whole story. And the result is a treasure, something to value for a long time.To call this film a comedy, is almost an insult: it is far too subtle for such simplistic definition. Here is wit, which is not just for easy laughs; here is wit in its subtlest form, such as the British sense of humour in the fifties and early sixties of the past century. Here is the voice of a visionary who creates unforgettable tid-bits, visual savouries, such that each scene in itself is a suggestive, evokeful treasure, combining to thread together an intelligent story for intelligent viewers. No, one should not try to compare Iosseliani with Almodóvar or Lynch, perhaps a slight influence or comparison with Fellini at times, because the concepts of how to exhibit subtle nuances of wit in exquisite expressiveness, very often with hardly any dialogue, belong to another sphere.The presence of a great bird, similar to a pelican, as well as the two dogs - a Labrador puppy, and a short-legged variant of the Border Collie, affords that emblematic and enigmatic delicate touch which helps this film to be something else: it is not comical and it is not laughable; this film is cinematography as art.My vote is much higher than the present average shown in IMDb.
janisn a subtle and poetic film about people trying to find their real place and run away from origins. two guys frequently meet not knowing that one of them is rich but prefers washing dishes in a bar, while the other is poor but rents a suite and motorbike to spend a fancy day in town. probably, one of the most beautiful moments of the film is the rich piere's (played by ioselliani himself) acquintal with a drunkard from the town. both sing long gone melodies while drinking and watching a mini train running around on a table. many have regarded the film as too slow and boring what apparently comes from ioselliani's refusal to use close-ups and crane/dolly shots. in opposite, it adds a silent observing character and avoids to give any human judgment.
raybatchelor A superb blend of Parisian life akin to Almodovar's in depth analysis of life in Madrid. The surrealism of the Marabou and the end sequence adds the Bunuel touch. For good measure add a series of superb characters who would not have been out of place in any of the Twin Peaks episodes. More Calvados please and another movie as good as this one - a rare visual event.