Peaceful: director Emmanuelle Bercot embraces the melodrama of the story she is telling, as she follows a terminal cancer patient as he deals with his treatment and what is left of his life. The film dedicates as much attention to the delicate balance required by the doctor and his bedside manners, and that results in some beautiful insights and rarely seen point of view. The cast is in fine shape: Benoît Magimel plays the sick man, lost and pained, as unable to cope with upcoming death as he was to cope with his life. Catherine Deneuve, as his loving mother, deep in denial but still aiming to get her own will done, gives a tricky performance. Gabriel Sara is very sympathetic as the doctor in charge, and the same goes for Cécile de France. Cinematographer Yves Cape captures the action elegantly, efficiently but not memorably. Beautiful music by composer Eric Neveux.