Emotional Arithmetic
Emotional Arithmetic is a terrific venue for its cast of veteran actors. Set in rural Quebec Susan Sarandon, Gabriel Byrne and Max von Sydow are Nazi death camp survivors finally reunited after 38 years. Sarandon is Melanie who lives on a hobby farm with David her retired professor husband played by Christopher Plummer displaying his trademark sophistication. They share the farmhouse with their grandson and a subdued Roy Dupuis their mature son who for some reason is estranged from the mother of his child. Von Sydow is Jacob who is expected to arrive solo to reconnect with Melanie but when he shows up with Christopher (Byrne) there’s an awkwardness. This is eventually explained as we watch the events in the colourfully serene and pastoral modern setting frequently juxtaposed against harsh black and white flashbacks of the concentration camp. Emotional Arithmetic is an unusual title for this film but in the end everything adds up.