Holy Cow follows the trials and tribulations of Totone, a carefree eighteen year old with a penchant for boozing, skirt-chasing and hijinks with his mates.
That all comes to a screeching halt when his father passes away unexpectedly and he is left to fend for himself and his little sister Claire.
With no one seemingly able to help him following his loss, Totone decides to take a shot at winning the Comte cheese making competition. While the adults are otherwise unavailable, Totone thankfully has his loyal friends Jean-Yves and Francis to help him.
The film centres itself on the friends stumbling through the process of creating a prize-winning Comte, with grit, determination and some not-so smart choices.
Holy Cow is not the typical coming of age or “bro friendship” movie. There are no big ra ra moments where they hype each other up. Similarly, there are no declarations of brotherly love and certainly no eureka moments.
Instead, Holy Cow offers a realistic view of mateship and brotherhood. Yes, the protagonists still get up to the stupid antics of teenage boys. However, their world is anchored by a difficult, isolated existence in rural France. Poverty casts a heavy pall on our characters but they show their solidarity through actions not words.
Perhaps this is why Holy Cow feels so much more real. We aren’t cajoled into optimism by over the top pep talks. We feel hope because we watch Totone pick himself up and grin, and we know that he’ll be okay.
Despite the optimism that subtly colours the film, the slow pace turned a light stroll into an arduous trek.
I also couldn’t help but struggle with gaps in logic. How is a teenager allowed to take care of his younger sister, without any assistance from the state? In fact, where are all the adults in this situation?
More importantly, as the son of a cheesemaker who lives in the Comte region, SURELY Totone would know more about the cheesemaking process? Or at least the fact that it takes a minimum of four months to age Comte, ideally twenty four.
Surely, Totone realises that’s a long time to be without much-needed funds? Is Totone that naive that he doesn’t realise that he needs to sustain himself while making said cheese?
If you can suspend your mind through these plot holes, there are some endearing moments.
In particular, watching Totone’s relationship evolve with the pragmatic Marie-Lise, another youngin who has the world on her shoulders, is especially satisfying. Kudos to the young non-professional actors for nailing the thawing dynamics between them.
If you’re looking for a movie that’s sentimental without being saccharine, Holy Cow delivers.
However, a warning for foodies: don’t expect a deep dive into cheesemaking culture. The movie skims through this and is more focused on the relationships in the movie.
Holy Cow opens 24th July nationwide, with an early screening at Palace Raine Square on 23rd July.