The Rose Maker

In picturesque Burgundy, Ève Vernet (Catherine Frot) has taken on a difficult legacy with the rose nursery of her father, who died 15 years ago. Competition in the flower market, which is dominated by large-scale growers, is fierce - and so even the business of once-great rose grower Ève soon looks pretty wilted. Or to put it another way: Ève's small business is on the verge of bankruptcy and is about to be bought up by a powerful competitor. Only her loyal secretary Véra (Olivia Côte) remains for the single businesswoman - and she comes up with a daring solution: In order to still get the work done, Véra hires three employees, all of whom come from a rehabilitation program and have no previous gardening experience whatsoever: Nadège (Marie Petiot), Samir (Fatsah Bouyahmed) and Fred (Melan Omerta) are to pull the cart out of the mud, pardon the pun, bed. Although the fated group has little in common, they embark on a highly unusual adventure to save the small business.... The classic “David versus Goliath” story with star Catherine Frot (“A Kiss from Béatrice”, “The Cook and the President”) changes tone several times: while at the beginning it is still about the culture clash with the new employees, who bring a lot of criminal energy instead of a green thumb, the middle section becomes a heist movie, only to turn into feel-good cinema towards the end. The charming story about the power of (also social) cohesion has not been harmed - quite the opposite! It's just a shame that “smell cinema” never really caught on. "Pinaud's script tells an underdog story on two levels. On the one hand, Eve, a solo entrepreneur, is threatened with bankruptcy because a large-scale nursery dominates the flower market. On the other, we see how three new recruits from a rehabilitation program use their skills to help Eve - and how this trio rises above themselves in the process. In particular, petty criminal Fred, played by Melan Omerta, not only learns the basics of botany from Eve, but also discovers his talent. The film is a celebration of community; it becomes clear that people can always achieve more together than completely alone. Catherine Frot is convincing in the title role; she reveals her character's passion for growing roses as well as the gradual development of the dogged lone fighter. She is supported by likeable co-stars who provide additional wit and charm." (Andreas Köhnemann, on: spielfilm.de)