Pauline is a home-visit nurse in a town in the Pas-de-Calais, well known and respected by the local community, but struggling to keep up with the demands of her life, which include two young children and her ill and uncooperative father.
Change arrives in the shape of Stephane, a boyfriend from her schooldays, who gets on well with her kids, but has his own dark secrets to hide. And the friendly smile of old family doctor, Berthier, who sounds her out about standing for mayor. He is a prominent member of the RNP, a nationalist party claiming to be "neither left nor right", who are looking for a candidate who can project the right kind of "one of us" image they think will appeal to voters. Pauline has her doubts, but is persuaded she's the right person for the role, that she'll be able to bring change to the community she sees suffering so many problems.
She's even courted by Agnes Dorgelle, the RNP's leader, and gradually comes round to the idea. Previously apolitical, but instinctively of the left, she's convinced she can do some good. Only to find the reality to be very different, and she's to become a puppet for a set of reactionary policies she wants no part of.
Director Lucas Belvaux made the film in a very brief period, and it was released shortly before this year's presidential election. So it's no coincidence we see the blonde daughter of a previous leader, trying to distance herself from his fascist past, yet pursuing the same political path but with better PR. It's a stark warning against the dangers of a resurgent populist neofascism that has gained traction all over Europe, and claimed the US presidency. France managed to avoid that fate, but Agnes and the RNP, aka Le Pen and the FN, came far closer than was comfortable.
It's hard to believe that the otherwise pragmatic Pauline falls for this con trick, but so many have that it may be truer than it seems. Plus there seems to be a bit of over reliance on coincidence to keep the plot moving. But these are minor quibbles, and this a movie that's well worth the watch. Emilie Dequenne is a compelling everywoman as the nurse, and Catherine Jacob's Agnes is perfect at delivering Le Pen's faux charisma and calculating ambition.
In a Q&A after the film Belvaux said that everything he portrayed was based on real events, sometimes toned down to make it less incredible. And that the Front National did an excellent job of promoting the film. They were so irritated that they orchestrated the placement of several hundred negative reviews from 'members of the public' - but several days before the film had actually been released! Fascists aren't always the brightest....
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