The Finishers 2013

Paul Amblard [Jacques Gamblin] had wished for a second child, a dream that becomes a living reality with Julien. From the very start, Julien Amblard [Fabien Héraud] faces a world that won’t move at his pace: as a baby he cannot walk like other children, and Paul retreats into his work as a cable car repairer and his volunteer firefighting, leaving the heavy lifting of care to Claire Amblard [Alexandra Lamy], a mother who becomes fiercely protective of her son’s health. The family’s quiet balance is tested by the weight of Julien’s wheelchair and the fear that shadows every step they take.

As Julien grows into a seventeen-year-old, his stubborn determination clashes with the limits of his disability. He begins to see life as something bigger than the quiet routine that surrounds him, and he discovers a surprising piece of family history: his father once possessed athletic speed and strength, having taken part in an Ironman race twenty-five years earlier. This revelation plants a bold seed in Julien’s mind: what if he and his father could race the Ironman together, with Paul pushing or dragging him on adapted gear? The idea stirs a beacon of possibility in Julien, a light that his family’s doubts can’t easily extinguish.

Paul, now older and marked by weariness and a recent layoff, rejects the plan at first. The suggestion of such perilous ambition feels reckless to a man who has watched years slip by without progress, and his pride and fear push back against the dream. Yet Julien’s insistence, tempered by a growing fugue of emotion, gradually nudges Paul toward reconsideration. The notion of making a shared challenge become a shared memory begins to break through the walls that have long separated father and son.

Claire remains resolute in her concern, it is true, and she voices a fierce opposition to what she sees as a dangerous adventure that could jeopardize Julien’s health. Her concern is not simply about risk; it is about preserving the fragile harmony of their family and shielding Julien from a world that might not be ready to carry him. But the more Julien clings to the vision, the more the fragile threads of reconciliation between father and son start to re-weave themselves.

In time, the stubborn will of Julien, backed by a slowly awakening desire to prove what they can do together, persuades Paul to take a leap of faith. The two begin training, a process that becomes not just physical preparation but a reconnection of trust and mutual dependence. It is a cautious, hopeful rebuilding of a relationship that had long been strained by fear, pride, and distance. The journey toward the race is as much about emotional healing as it is about physical conditioning, and the shared goal begins to illuminate new possibilities for both of them.

On race day, the couple faces the unpredictable truth of endurance sport: Julien sustains an injury early on, and Paul collapses during the marathon leg. Yet the human spirit proves more persistent than setback. Through sheer determination and a renewed sense of partnership, they press on, supporting each other every step of the way. The finish line, narrowly missed by many, becomes a testament to perseverance and to the power of a father and son choosing to move forward together rather than apart. Their ultimate triumph is not only crossing the finish line before the cutoff time but the quiet, transformative moment when two generations choose to believe in each other again.

The film sustains a compassionate, restrained tone that honors the realities of disability while celebrating the stubborn hope that can awaken when people decide to rebuild a relationship that once seemed beyond repair. It unfolds as a patient, emotionally resonant portrait of a family learning to navigate fear, pride, and possibility, and it leaves viewers with a lasting impression of what can be achieved when love, grit, and newfound resolve converge on a single, arduous journey.