Full Time - Al cento per cento

There are days when you must wonder what the hell, as you're caught in one almighty, intense swell, fighting currents that don't ebb, trapped by an all-consuming web, in a battered, beaten, broken, burnt out shell.

It's a top drawer performance from Laure Calamy as the divorced mother of two Julie Roy, desperately trying to make ends meet and juggle a multitude of balls, while making the long commute to and from Paris working as a chambermaid. An opportunity to recover a career that she sacrificed for children is not helped on a day when strikes hit the transport system and her world becomes even more gridlocked, while an unsympathetic employer is not amused by her time keeping (amongst other things). You're left wondering how many women find themselves in the same or similar position and struggle to keep their heads above water.

In 1973, you had a French comedy called ELLE COURT ELLE COURT LA BANLIEUE, speaking of the hectic daily life of a suburban woman going to work every day, using public transportation, the kind of scheme in which millions of people could recognize themselves in. This one is not really a comedy, because it may be disturbing to watch, when you realize the hell this poor woman, mother of two, has to fight like a dog to survive, between a stressful job - she works in a Parisian palace, as a sort of supervisor - public transportation strike hell - so typical of France, the STRIKE KINGDOM in the world, financial problems, unbearable kids, problems to take care fo them when she works, a new job...You suffer for her, you feel dizzy for her, you may watch yourself in a mirror viewing this so realistic story. Maybe it's too much, I mean "too many" problems occur to this poor woman. It can't be possible that so many cataclysms happen on this casualty of modern world. I was surprised by the way she got rid off the big shipment from the van. Very ingenious, this is the kind of scene you may see in a crime film, about hoodlums pulling a heist. A jewel of a film, a mirror of the modern world, especially in France, my homeland, where a transportation bus line, train or subway may be stopped for hours just when a passenger feels sick, faints, or pukes. France where chaos, mess, jam everywhere is written in the Constitution. And I am in the best position to say this. France....

Éric Gravel's "Full Time" is a well-crafted film that follows a single mother, Julie (Laure Calamy), as she tries to make ends meet in a society that seems stacked against her. The movie has a fast-paced feel reminiscent of "Run Lola Run," while also offering a story that viewers can relate to on a personal level. Julie's job as the head chambermaid of a hotel is not ideal, and she's determined to land a better job at a marketing firm. However, with a citywide transit strike and her dependence on public transportation, she faces challenges in reaching her interview on time.

The film's technical aspects, such as Mathilde Van de Moortel's editing and Irene Dresel's score, add to the tension and keep viewers on edge. Julie's determination to better herself is admirable, but the film does not shy away from showing her flaws. Although the movie lacks a strong statement about the strike and organized labor, it is an intelligent and engaging story about a familiar struggle. Gravel's film blends tension and humanism to create an impactful experience.

What a movie. Well directed; well acted; it never stops; and keeps you on the edge of your seat.

Any working parent will get this film and any single working parent will relate to the decisions and life choices this incredibly hard working mum has to make each day and each minute.

If anyone says Hollywood does thrillers and dramas, come and watch a story without car chases, without explosions, just the drama and emotion of real life.

This is remarkable film that will feel utterly familiar to any parent with young children and quite unrelatable to anyone else. Perhaps even more familiar if you're a single parent with a dead-end job struggling to stay off welfare and keep your kids.

The backdrop is France, and specifically Paris, during a time of chaos as worker's strike. This rather echoes the current industrial action paralyzing the UK and forcing the working poor closer to the edge. If you can't work from home then this action is a dagger to the heart forcing you to run, run, run for dear life.

In "Full Time" that's Julie's world in a nutshell. To the backdrop of an insistent soundtrack that raises the tension to a high pitch she's constantly rushing from one crisis to another. Stress, fear and worry are etched into her features as she tries to avoid letting anyone down as the world conspires against her.

This is so utterly "not Hollywood" with no particular story arc, character development or artful dialog - instead it just "is" and we are voyeurs to a life slowly falling to pieces. Step by step Julie edges closer to the precipice. It's impossible to look away but deeply uncomfortable at the same time.

I guess this means that "Full Time" won't appeal to every audience but my oh my you should make the effort to catch it while you can. If you're looking for more than just pure escapism this is a film that captures a miniature of life in compelling detail.