Movie Review: Holy Cow (Vingt Dieux)

 Movie Number 32 of 2025

The Film: Holy Cow (French Title - Vingt Dieux)

The Cinema: The Deckchair Cinema, Darwin

Runtime: 92 minutes

Stars: 4

Blessed be the Cheesemakers!

It's not often that I start a film with a Monty Python quote, but it's apt for this one, as it is the making of the cheese which helps sort out Totone (Clement Favreau), an aimless youth, drinking, fighting and shagging his way through life until an accident has him being the guardian of his seven-year-old sister Claire (Luna Garret). 

Of course I was happy to see this for two reasons. I love the Deckchair Cinema - it's one of my happy places in Darwin. Also, as this is a French Film, which wasn't set in Paris, or a history, it was something to behold. 

Holy Cow as filmed in the Jura region of France, east of Dijon and just North of the Swiss border, meaning that there was some lovely country to view. Jura is the home of Comte cheese - one of those delicacies you may or may not know about. To try to make money, Totone decides to try and enter a Comte cheese competition, not that he has the infrastructure at home to do this. Milk and rennet needs to be stolen, and he has to work out how to do all of this cheesemaking stuff. 

In between the cheesemaking and looking after his sister, Totone finds himself embarking on a casual relationship with Lise-Marie (Maiwene Bartholomy) a local farmer and sister to Totone's nemesis. 

As French films go, this was a bit different. Set in rural France, it shows a very different life. Who knew the French liked bad alcohol and music, as well as tractors and stock cars. 

What moved well for me in Louise Corvoisier's directing and script is how Totone looked after his sister, which although not exemplary, showed growth as the movie progressed. Totone was not a bad lad - he's an 18-year-old boy who's had to grow up very quickly. Some of the loveliest scenes is when Totone and Claire are together. 

It also gave an insight into what it is to make cheese. It's involved and very hard work. Comte appears to be made by hand in a difficult and dangerous process. 

If I'm honest, I was going to love this film, simply because it's French and I was watching it from a deckchair, under the stars, with a beer in my hand. 

Life doesn't get much better than this. 

And the film was enjoyable. I'm glad I got to see it in one of the best cinemas in the world, where the wildlife swoop and the possums try to nick your popcorn. 

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