Once Upon My Mother: inspired by a true story, Ken Scott’s dramedy follows a man born with a clubfoot who, thanks to his mother’s sheer strength, recovers and leads a normal life. The mother is driven by an immense love for her son, but she is also quite the cliche overbearing Jewish mother. The truth is, the film seems unsure of how to deal with that duality and keeps changing its allegiance regarding her. It’s an entertaining but superficial experience. Leïla Bekhti gives a fine performance as the passionate mother. Jonathan Cohen, as the adult-aged son, is also competent; Joséphine Japy, as his eventual wife, is not given much to do. The film looks good and colourful; cinematographer Guillaume Schiffman does a fine job capturing the action; production designer Riton Dupire-Clément manages well the passing of time, as does costume designer Anne Schotte. Music plays an important role in the story, in particular songs by Sylvie Vartan.