The title of this 2003 domestic drama refers to a bookshop once owned by the protagonist (Claude Rich), now an elderly cardiac patient consigned to a nursing home by his grown daughter (Sandrine Bonnaire). His preternaturally wise granddaughter (an astonishing Louisa Pili) unearths some old letters revealing that her grandmother is still alive and persuades the old man to track down his estranged ex-wife; assisted by the other residents, they set off for Biarritz in the nursing home’s van. The exchanges between the aged conspirators are so cute they’re patronizing, but the moving interaction of father, daughter, and grandchild adds resonance to a story about the weight of history, the limits of memory, and the possibility of renewal. Safy Nebbou directed, with confidence and restraint. In French, Spanish, and Italian with subtitles. 83 min.
