• Release year: 2024
• Director: Louise Courvoisier.
• Producer: Muriel Meynard.
• Screenplay by: Louise Courvoisier and Théo Abadie.
• Cinematography by: Elio Balezeaux.
• Music by: Charles Courvoisier and Linda Courvoisier.

Shotgun Commentary: surprisingly hilarious for a story so tragic.

Review

Holy Cow is a heartwarming coming-of-age story that showcases the best and the worst of growing up in a household with zero structure. The feature manages to stand out by staying away from the wasted-youth trope. While it dabbles with the idea, its focus is ultimately on the endless energy and ability for good that young people have. A powerful reminder of the power that lies in seeing the world as an endless source of possibilities.

A relatable lead

The story follows Totone (Clément Faveau), a young teen used to drinking and partying every day like there is no tomorrow. He lives in a farm with his father and sister until the first dies in a car crash product of drink-driving. Totone, with no clue of how anything works and no idea of how to take care of a little girl, improvises every single step of his existence from then on, often making the worst decisions.

Life doesn’t care about your intentions. A harsh truth that Totone learns slowly as he tries to stay afloat, first by working as a milk collector for a farm, and then by trying his hand at cheese making.

The protagonist’s journey is undoubtedly the main selling point of the film, in great part thanks to Faveau’s performance. While young, this actor shows great promise in his delivery of Totone.

The evolution of this character is not an easy one, in part due to the huge trauma that he undergoes, and on the other hand due to the intensity with which teenagers tend to feel things. Totone goes through a huge range of emotions quite quickly all the time as a response to his unstable and ever-challenging situation. Luckily, Faveau proves that he is capable of such range with ease, resulting in a fantastic experience for the spectator.

A collage

The story does have its fair share of ridiculous moments. However, most of them are not due to issues with the story but the consequence of the protagonist’s hasty mind. Still, there are a few somewhat forced moments of drama where the intensity of the characters’ emotions feels misplaced.

This is likely due to a lack of proper translation between the creator’s thoughts and the visual message that the audience receives. Such moments are few, but a true shame since they clash with the quality of the rest of the material. A bit like channel hopping between an excellent movie and a soap opera.

Luckily, the film also has its fair share of comedy. The aforementioned ridiculous moments do get somewhat cringy but in the best of ways. They are the kind of situations that you laugh at while dying from second-hand embarrassment, a feeling that is tightly associated with adolescence and that, to a point, creates an immersive experience. The humour balances out the tragedy and those unfortunately incomprehensible dramatic moments.

All in all, Holy Cow is a unique coming-of-age story that might not shine as much as others in the mainstream media, but not for a lack of quality. As far as coming of age features go, this one is easily among the best and most original. So, if you are into the genre, make sure you don’t miss it!

Thanks to CONIC for big-screen access! Holy Cow is out now in the UK.

Advice to take from this movie:

• NEVER drink and drive.
• Responsibilities should always come before hobbies.
• The youth might be lost, but never wasted.

What’s your take? Have you watched Holy Cow? Don’t hesitate to let me know your thoughts in the comments section below, or leave a message in my contact page! For more reviews and cinema-related articles, check out the rest of my blog! 😀