The Barbarian Invasions (2003)

The Barbarian Invasions is a sequel of sorts to The Decline of the American Empire, though it's not absolutely necessary to see both of these Denys Arcand films to understand and appreciate The Barbarian Invasions on its own merits. Like the earlier work, The Barbarian Invasions is an entertaining mix of intellectual musings, humor, and bawdy sexual repartee, all of these elements often mixing together to varying degrees. There's also much engrossing dialogue, as well as excellent ensemble acting. It's a more sentimental film, however, particularly in its latter portion, as the main character faces the inevitability of his impending death, cosseted as best he can be by flawed but sympathetic friends and family. There are plenty of fine scenes here, ranging from pointed (and funny) satire of Canadian institutional bureaucracy in hospitals, law enforcement, and unions to more serious vignettes of ruptured families and a young junkie (played with gaunt believability by Marie-Josée Croze) struggling with a heroin problem. If there's any reservation to be expressed about the film's quality, it's that some threads are left dangling, not just in terms of plot resolution, but also in the moral questions that Arcand often examines. Though the dying Rémy Girard is clearly a mixed bag of amusing, brainy raconteur and philandering cocksman, he seems to reach a rapprochement with his materialistic son Stéphane Rousseau rather too easily. In addition, the serious flaws and repercussions of the son's attitude -- putting everything right for Girard to leave the world in loving comfort by basically buying and bribing whatever and whoever he can -- are left mostly untouched. The stirrings of a possible romance between Rousseau and Croze are only tantalizingly dangled as well. Of course, a premature death often leaves many such loose ends, and The Barbarian Invasions is a worthy look at a man forced to ponder the weightiest of questions too soon, even if some of them aren't wholly answered. ~ Richie Unterberger, All Movie Guide