Film Review: Full Time (FRA 2021) by Eric Gravel

Content:  In this podcast, we talk about “Full Time” by French director Eric Gravel from 2021. The film depicts the life of single mother Julie. It shows Julie's exhausting everyday life in detail, between working as a hotel employee and looking after children, and the additional difficulties caused by a public transport strike.  We highlight the realism of the film and the uncomfortable questions it raises.  Plot:  Julie, a single mother, has a demanding job as a maid in a luxury hotel in Paris. Her hectic daily routine involves commuting from her remote suburb to Paris, taking care of her children before and after work, and simultaneously searching for a better job. Her schedule is thrown into complete disarray when a public service strike halts all bus and train services.  The English release title, "Full Time," closely mirrors the French original. Not only does Julie have a full-time job, but she is also a single mother struggling to find enough time to care for her two children. One problem follows another. If you're looking to escape from your own daily grind, this is certainly not the film for you.