''Time Out'' () is a 2023 Belgian-French

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. The drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular ...

directed by Ève Duchemin in her directorial debut. The film stars

Karim Leklou Karim Leklou (born June 20, 1982) is a French actor who started his career in small role in Jacques Audiard 's film ''A Prophet'' (2009) and followed by '' Suzanne'' and '' Grand Central''.

Isaka Sawadogo Isaka Sawadogo (born 1966), sometimes credited as Issaka Sawadogo, is a Burkinabé actor. He is most noted for his performances in the Canadian film ''Diego Star'', for which he received a Prix Jutra nomination for Best Actor at the 16th Jutra A ...

and Jarod Cousyns as three inmates who are granted a weekend leave. The film had its world premiere at the

Ostend Film Festival The Ostend Film Festival () is an annual film festival held in Ostend, Belgium. The film voted by a jury as the best in the competition section receives the Best Film Award. It was launched in 2007 and has been held every year in September. In 2022 ...

on 28 January 2023. Upon release, ''Time Out'' was praised for its strong performances, production quality, and sensitive portrayal of its subject matter.

Plot

The film follows three prisoners granted temporary leave from prison to spend a weekend with their families. While on leave, they struggle to reintegrate into the lives they left behind, confronting broken relationships and the emotional scars caused by their incarceration. The story focuses on their emotional turmoil, revealing the difficulty of resuming a normal life even for a brief period outside the prison walls. As they attempt to reconnect with their loved ones, unresolved tensions and fragile emotions come to the surface.

Cast

as Bonnard * Issaka Sawadogo as Hamousin * Jarod Cousyns as Colin *

Johan Leysen Johan Leysen (19 February 1950 – 30 March 2023) was a Belgian actor. He appeared in more than 130 films and television shows from 1977. He starred in the film '' De grens'', which was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 1984 Canne ...

as Bonnard's father *

Babetida Sadjo Babetida Sadjo, born on 19 September 1983 in Bafatá, Guinea-Bissau, is a Belgian actress. Biography Babetida grew up in Guinea-Bissau until she was 12 years old, before moving to Hanoi in Vietnam where she attended the Lycée français Alex ...

as Édith *

Martha Canga Antonio Martha Canga Antonio (born June 12 1995), is a Belgian actress and singer of Angolan descent. She is best known for the critically acclaimed film ''Black''. Early life and education Martha Canga Antonio was born on June 12 1995 in Mons, Belgi ...

as Lucille

Critical reception

''Time Out'' received generally positive reviews, with particular praise for the cast's performances. On

review aggregator A review aggregator is a system that collects reviews and ratings of products and services, such as films, books, video games, music, software, hardware, or cars. This system then stores the reviews to be used for supporting a website where user ...

website

AlloCiné AlloCiné is an entertainment website founded by Jean-David Blanc in 1988, then joined by Patrick Holzman. It has belonged to the company since 2013 Webedia. which specializes in providing information on French cinema, mostly centering on nove ...

, the film holds an average score of three and a half stars out of five, based on a survey of 20 reviews. Jérôme Garcin from ''

L'Obs (), previously known as (2014–2024), (1964–2014), (1954–1964), (1953–1954), and (1950–1953), is a weekly French news magazine. Based in the 2nd arrondissement of Paris, ' is one of the three most prominent French news magazines a ...

'' called it a "heartbreaking debut," supported by "three exceptional actors" and directed by a filmmaker deeply engaged with themes of social struggle and marginalization. Christophe Caron from ''

La Voix du Nord ''La Voix du Nord'' (; or 'The Voice of Nord') is a regional daily newspaper from the north of France. Its headquarters are in Lille. History ''Voix du Nord'' was one of the underground newspapers of the French Resistance founded in German- ...

'' described the experience as a "torrent of fragile and disordered emotions," with an uncertain outcome that leaves the audience deeply moved. The film explores the psychological and emotional burden that the prisoners carry with them, both within and outside the prison walls. It focuses on their attempts to reconnect with family members and navigate the challenges of rebuilding relationships damaged by their time in prison. The director, Ève Duchemin, has emphasized that the film is more about the emotional aftermath of imprisonment than the prison system itself.

Accolades

References

External links

* {{IMDb title, 20754462 2020s French-language films 2020s Belgian films 2020s French films 2020s prison drama films 2020s buddy drama films 2023 directorial debut films Films about friendship French-language drama films