A One Mann’s Movies review of “The Marching Band” (2025).
French Title: “En Fanfare”.
The French-language film “The Marching Band” – a comedy/drama – is one of those little films that manages to leave you with a feelgood smile on your face, even if the subject matter is at times quite hard-going.
Bob the Movie Man Rating:
“The Marching Band” Plot:
Thibaut Desormeaux (Benjamin Lavernhe) is a world-class orchestra conductor who discovers he has leukaemia. A bigger shock comes when he tests with his sister for a bone marrow transplant and finds that she is not his sister at all. His search leads him to his real brother Jimmy Lecocq (Pierre Lottin) who is also musical by nature, but involved in a very different type of music.
Certification:
UK: 15; US: R. (From the BBFC web site: Strong language.)
Talent:
Starring: Benjamin Lavernhe, Pierre Lottin, Sarah Suco, Jacques Bonnaffé, Clémence Massart-Weit, Anne Loiret.
Directed by: Emmanuel Courcol.
Written by: Emmanuel Courcol & Irène Muscari. (With Oriane Bonduel, Marianne Tomersy & Khaled Amara).
Running Time: 1h 43m.
“The Marching Band” Summary:
Positives:
- An interesting ‘rich boy – poor boy’ story that is consistently engaging.
- Feelgood moments that make you smile.
- A story not afraid to go in ‘un-Hollywood’ directions.
Negatives:
- The final reel rather went off the boil for me: an overly saccharined scene and some story aspects that didn’t quite gel.
Review of “The Marching Band”:
A great set-up.
This is a story that had me at ‘hello’. A couple of brothers, separated at birth who – for reasons of affluence – go on to lead completely different lives. They both resent the missed opportunity of ‘having a brother’ but with the poorer relation Jimmy – although rich in family and friendships – clearly also resenting the ‘silver spoon’ opportunities of his sibling. “You drew the long straw” he barks at one point.
The film’s handling of Thibaut’s illness is sensitively handled. A marvellous opening sequence shows him masterfully conducting the orchestra through a wonderful rendition of Beethoven’s Egmont Overture, Op. 84 before spectacularly passing out at the podium. The script briskly takes us through the mandatory doctor/diagnosis scene cutting to an uncomfortably first (re-)meeting with his brother and his adoptive mother.
A band that feels real.
Jimmy is the trombone player in the town band and we are introduced to all of the diverse members of the band in a very entertaining way. Everyone feels so realistic for a group of working-class people in a struggling rural town. (A colliery town in the North of England was the setting for Mark Herman’s “Brassed Off” from 1996, but this film feels to have similar DNA and the characters feel much the same.) There are some really feel-good vibes generated by these scenes that make it hard not to grin along.
Of course, you will suspect where this is going to go: world-famous conductor; slightly dodgy brass-band; national competition, blah blah blah. And to an extent, it does. But the script is going to surprise you by not following a typically Hollywood-like story arc: there are bumps along the way here and there that add to the interest.
Music at its core.
In a move that will appeal to classical music lovers, music really plays centre stage here. The fact that Jimmy is as musically gifted as his more famous brother neatly suggests that the skill is in the genes. A scene where Jimmy proves just how pitch perfect he is is enormously entertaining.
It fails to nail the landing.
Sadly, my joy at the first two reels was not fully matched by the last reel which somewhat went off the boil for me. Overlaid with the whole ‘national competition’ plot is another sub-plot involving the closing of the local factory and the associated anti-capitalist fervour around that (again, aping the anti-Thatcher sentiments of “Brassed Off”). The planning of a special performance of Ravel’s Bolero to raise publicity for their plight never quite gelled for me and, with a change of circumstances for Thibaut, the plot descends into a bit of a muddy and melodramatic mess. Tack on an unlikely and rather cheesy ending (slightly reminiscent of 1995’s “Mr Holland’s Opus”) and my 5* film shrivelled a bit.
Furthermore, the film sets up for a key reveal on a beach between Thibaut and Jimmy that is genuinely moving. But due to some rather heavy-handed storytelling in the lead up to that, we as the viewer already know the reveal and the emotional impact of that scene has been dissipated. (I can’t say more without spoilers but make a brief comment in the “Spoiler Section” below the trailer).
Acting and Score.
I should comment that the acting of the two leads – Benjamin Lavernhe and Pierre Lottin – is terrific, especially Lavernhe.
There is also a really nice score by Michel Petrossian to complement the choices of the classical pieces in the film. (The entertaining soundtrack is available on Spotify here.) It includes some extracts from Thibaut’s (actually, Petrossian’s) composed masterwork “Quadrature” – a style of modern classical music which I’m afraid I struggle to connect with!
Triggers.
As stated above, the film has a cancer theme that might be triggering for some viewers.
Summary Thoughts on “The Marching Band”
A film really worth tracking down when it comes onto streaming (check the Justwatch widget below). Like “Tár“, this is a film that lovers of classical music in particular will enjoy, but even if your ‘musique de choix’ is the Bay City Rollers, I think you will enjoy this one. It was heading for a 5-stars from me, but the ending somewhat let it down for me. Still recommended though.
Where to Watch it (Powered by Justwatch)
Trailer for “The Marching Band”:
The trailer is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhfCXPYIKs8.
Spoiler Section:
Don’t read past this point if you’ve not seen the movie.
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NO, SERIOUSLY!
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The early reveal.
The plot point reveal made on the beach is of course the fact that Thibaut’s cancer has returned with a vengeance and is now terminal. But ahead of this scene, which would have been a dramatic body blow of a reveal, we see Thibaut going to see the doctor again so can predict the twist easily. There’s also a comment made by one of the factory workers as he is opening the taxi door for Thibaut (I can’t now recall the exact words) which rather implies a knowledge that that person shouldn’t have had at that point in the film. It made me wonder if some of the order of the film was rearranged in the final edit.
Extra Cheese.
The cheesy bit I refer to is the factory group breaking into the encore applause for an Upper Circle rendition of his “Bolero” arrangement. Some may love this. I found it to be an over-the-top cheese-fest.
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