The Son 2003

Olivier Gourmet plays Olivier, a stern master carpenter at a youth trade training center. Despite dissatisfaction with his workload, he agrees to take on an additional apprentice: Francis Thorion, Morgan Marinne, a boy recently released from juvenile detention for the murder of Olivier’s son five years prior. Olivier’s interest in the boy’s training is guarded but real, and he begins to shadow Francis closely, even following him home, though Francis remains unaware of the personal connection. At the same time, he tells his ex-wife Magali Isabella Soupart, who is remarried and pregnant, that Francis was initially denied from the center, but that he had considered taking the boy on; Magali is upset by the suggestion. Francis makes an attempt to befriend Olivier, who reacts coldly. In a troubling turn, Olivier steals Francis’s keys and slips into his barren, impoverished apartment. Later, when Olivier offers to drive Francis home from the center, Magali confronts him, who admits that the boy is her son’s murderer. She faints in shock, and when she regains consciousness she asks Olivier why he has taken the boy under his wing. He replies that he does not know.

The next day, while taking Francis on a training excursion to a sawmill, Olivier asks about the circumstances of Francis’s detention. Francis is evasive. Despite this, when the pair stops for lunch, Francis asks Olivier to be his guardian. Olivier replies inconclusively. While they play table football, Olivier coaxes Francis to admit that he killed someone. As they continue the drive, Francis confesses that he strangled a boy to death in the process of stealing a car radio. Olivier is briefly angered by Francis’s confession and apparent lack of remorse. The pair arrive at the sawmill and work together until Olivier abruptly states that the boy Francis killed was his son. Despite Olivier’s pleas, Francis runs away; worried that Olivier intends to avenge his son, he hides and throws planks at Olivier. Olivier eventually catches Francis and begins to strangle him before letting go. He returns to the mill alone, only for Francis to reappear. The pair silently resumes their work.