Not having seen the preceding two entries of this French children’s series, I still found Belle and Sebastian: Friends for Life a winningly low-key, if formulaic, adventure yarn. This final chapter spins a sweet, gently paced tale of adolescent resourcefulness, whisking its 12-year-old protagonist Sebastian (Félix Bossuet) and his trusty sidekick Belle through a period of emotional upheaval.
Sebastian faces a big move from his beloved, snow-capped Saint-Martin to Montreal. Belle, now mother to three magnificently fluffy pups, is visited by her abusive former owner Joseph (director Clovis Cornillac), a black-clad, tank-truck-driving miscreant with nefarious plans. Tchéky Karyo returns as Sebastian’s granddad César, who supplies some of the film’s most heart-rending non-puppy scenes as their close bond is tested.
Placed alongside the costly digital spectacle and noisy humour of modern Hollywood’s family fare, or even the overbearing treacle of A Dog’s Breakfast—sorry, Purpose—the small-scale, old-fashioned delights of Belle and Sebastian: Friends for Life is almost restorative. A hark back to a less complicated and cynical era. Sebastian sets out to prove his mettle in the wilderness. Belle gets to shine in a few displays of selfless heroism. Karyo floors a Mini through the snaking roads of the French Alps. As Saint-Martin’s bumbling mayor, André Penvern adds a touch of whimsy to the action.
It’s all very understated, unpretentious stuff. Maybe a little sedate for hyperactive children, but a pleasant winter-break diversion for those who aren’t adverse to having subtitles go with feats of adorable canine derring-do.
