Declaration of War

Declaration of War is a quirky, intermittently gripping story of young parents and a sick child. It's only when a person has knowledge of the backstory--that the stars, who are also the director and writers, went through this themselves, does the film have an extra bit of oomph. But this is not mentioned in the film, so the unspoken is out there, and the film kind of just sits there.

Directed by Valerie Donzelli, and co-written by Jeremie Elkaim, the two also star as young parents of a baby boy. They notice a few odd things about him, such as his being late to walk, tilting his head, and constant vomiting. The pediatrician sends them to a neurologist, who soon finds a tumor in his brain. Immediate surgery is suggested.

Anyone who has had a sick child will likely be nodding in agreement as the two go through the ups and downs of medical treatment. I especially liked a scene in which they imagined what the worst could happen, and it edges into silliness, giving them both a needed laugh. I also liked the sense of family rallying around them, as both sets of parents, meeting for the first time at the hospital, bond over the vigil.

But other parts of the movie seem clunky and forced. We start the film with the two meeting, across a crowded room, no less, and there is a montage of their early courtship. Does every dating couple share cotton candy together? When the movie settles into a medical procedural, it has bite but certainly we've seen it before. And a closing scene on the beach is a cliche that drags on too long.

Yet understanding the honesty that the two stars have put into the project is admirable, and they are likable and easy to root for.