Julien (Guillaume Canet) is called back to hometown for a family crisis. His 7-year-old son has gone missing during a camping weekend. The police first think it’s a simple case of a runaway, but Julien has his doubts. His ex-wife (Melanie Laurent) tells him that she is pregnant with another man’s baby and that maybe her new lover was jealous. But as the case continues nothing seems simple, including Julien’s dangerous past.

My Son (2017) is an unusual blend of family drama and a hyper-realistic take of one man must find there child action films like the Taken series. While watching it I noticed how tight the suspense was but how empty the plot felt. After watching the making of featured on this Blu-ray it soon became clearer. It was made as an experimental thriller from director Christian Carion. Carion’s idea was what if the story was told in a real in sequence fashion with the plot being made up as it goes. This way no one, even the director, knew the ending, or why the child went missing. It’s a strange choice but interesting in theory. 

The finished film has a mess of ideas and false leads. But after the brisk 85 minutes, I soon felt refreshed by how simple it was. No big twists. No hidden agendas. It was just a story of a man finding his son. By the end of the film, I felt caught up in the drama and at the edge of my seat. 

To go along with Carion’s story choices, The camerawork is documentary-like with plenty of handheld shots. The lighting is moody but realistic. Every location feels lived in. The use of technology also doesn’t feel forced. No crazy gadgets or spy tricks. The editing is also selective. At times paced fast, but also not afraid to sit and soak up the performances.

Guillaume Canet makes a likable lead with plenty of ace acting chops. Every scene has weight and a stressed level of confusion. When the action does burst he handles ever beat. I’m looking forward to seeing his other roles. Melanie Laurent is great in all her scenes, but the story quickly loses interest. It’s a shame because I could see this story working from her point of view. Still, she delivers a great performance with the little she is given.

Cohen’s Blu-ray comes with a lovely 1080p HD transfer. The snow is misty and the texture is well defined. There is some nice contrast and grit in the indoor scenes. The blacks are smooth with no digital noise. There are two French audio tracks. The 5.1 sound mix is clear and spotless. There is no hiss or pops. The 2.0 Dolby Digital mix is slightly softer but still decent. English subtitles are included. 

The extras included are a lengthy making-of documentary with plenty of interviews and location shooting. It’s nice to hear the crew discuss the fast shoot and the confusing plot details without spoilers. There is a second Behind the scenes featurette with interviews with Carion and Canet. Some nice insight into the creative process but not essential if you watch the making of.

For fans of quick and emotional thrillers, My Son doesn’t disappoint. Recommended.

Director- Christian Carion

Cast- Guillaume Canet, Melanie Laurent

Country of Origin- France/Belgium

Distributor- Cohen Media Group

Discs- 1

Reviewer- Tyler Miller