A One Mann’s Movies review of “A Good Little Soldier”. (From the 2026 London Film Festival). (2026, 4.5*, NR).
Original title: Un bon petit soldat
As I’ve said before, going to the LFF press screenings is sometimes a lottery for the foreign language lesser-known films: for every My Wife Cries and Hot Spot that disappointed, there’s an In a Whisper and Ha Chan Shake Your Booty that delights. A Good Little Soldier definitely gets added to the positive comment: in fact, of this category of films, it is probably one of my favourites of this year’s LFF.
One Mann’s Movies Rating:
Plot:
Carla Moretti (Alba Rohrwacher) has started a job in a senior HR role at Amali: an insurance company. But her life is not straightforward due to an extremely assertive boss (Vincent Lindon); issues she has with her estranged husband Olivier (David Talbot) and son Louis (Adrien Bobinet); and an internal issue between two warring female colleagues. It’s enough to give one stomach ulcers.
Certification:
UK: NR; US: NR. (This film has not yet received a classification by the BBFC, but I would expect it to be a 15 based on strong language.)
Talent:
Starring: Alba Rohrwacher, Vincent Lindon, Renaud Petitjean, Adrien Bobinet, David Talbot, Sharif Andoura, Carine Rouvier, Sandra Le Gall, Sabine Mariolle.
Directed by: Stéphane Brizé.
Written by: Coralie Amedeo, Stéphane Brizé, Olivier Gorce.
Running Time: 1h 42m.
Review:
Positives:
- This film is the perfect blend of comedy and heartache. On the comedy front, the situations presented have a firm element of humour running through them that most people will find funny. For anyone who has suffered working in a big corporate environment (which I have for most of my working life), many of the situations, from cringeworthy fawning in board meetings to indelicate discussions in management meetings are skewered wonderfully. The primary antagonist is the boss, Arnaud Boronat, played beautifully by Vincent Lindon. In the opening scene, a new promotional video, to recruit “the best” graduates into the company, is aired. It features a whole range of disabled people happily working in the company. Everyone around the table praises the video for reflecting the “true values” of the company in being inclusive etc etc. And you just know what is going to happen! After the last fawning marketing person has had their say, Arnaud EXPLODES saying that the video wants to make him vomit: “if you were a high-flying business graduate, would you want to come and work here with paraplegics?”. These comments reflect Arnaud as despising wokeness in all its forms, putting profit of the company above anything. Politically correct, the script is not. I think Arnaud and Trump would get on like a house on fire.
- In terms of the acting, Alba Rohrwacher is outstanding as Carla. With enthusiasm burning brightly in her eyes at the start of the film, you see it visibly sapped out of her as the film progresses. At one point she literally explodes in frustration at her son’s inability (via video conference) to understand some basic geometric definitions. It’s a masterly piece of acting which – if the Academy cast its net wider than the ‘obvious film’ candidates – deserves consideration for a place at that high table. I’ve seen Rohrwacher in a few films over the years: as the dodgy antiques dealer in her sister’s film, La Chimera; memorably as Angelina Jolie’s long-suffering maid in Maria; and most recently (at last year’s LFF in fact) as the Italian film festival guide in George Clooney’s Jay Kelly. She’s impressed me in those films, but here she has REALLY stepped up the game. She’s another European lady to consider alongside Sandra Hüller and Vicky Krieps.
- The supporting cast are also great, from the major roles to the minor. In particular, Adrien Bobinet in his film debut is great as Louis; Sharif Andoura is hilarious as the coach of the “Happiness programme” (so deliciously corporate); and Sandra Le Gall is wonderfully dry and bored as Mme Morel, the employee being bullied by her unapologetic boss Mme Lalouette (Carine Rouvier) who is also memorable. I remember my time as an IBM first-line manager as being one of the most stressful of my career, having to constantly try to keep calm and order whilst trying to meet corporate mandates pushed down from above. These scenes had me digging my finger nails into my palms again.
- As well as being comical, there is a solid vein of tragedy running through the piece, as Carla’s all-consuming work life continues to impinge disastrously on her private life. It’s something I’m sure many commuting working people can relate to.
- The titles go for huge bold text against a dynamic commuting background and a thumping score by Bertrand Blessing. This score turns into something funky and jazzy later in the film. Very effective.
Negatives:
- I have very little to add here. I could complain about the voiceover of Carla’s inner monologue, which I would normally do. But for some reason it was much more subtle and acceptable in this film.
Summary Thoughts:
This is a little gem of a film that I had no expectations for but which I found to be completely engaging and thoroughly entertaining. I would normally give a film like this 4* (and still think I perhaps should have), but given its originality (the HR department of a big corporate) I think it deserved an extra half.
Where to watch?
Trailer:
The trailer for the film is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOFq7J4fmhY.
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