The Courageous (2025) Review: All About Mother!

Is it possible for a single mother in the gallows of poverty to actually raise three children alone and not be considered a bad parent by the society?

Swiss Director Jasmin Gordon essentially explores this cause as she takes us through a journey of motherhood, love and exploitation through societal pressures in an affluent society through her debut feature film– ‘The Courageous’..

Jule (Ophélia Kolb), 40, is a single mother who longs for a secure life for her young family. She lives in a charming town in the breathtaking Valais region of Switzerland, which is well-known for its closeness to the Matterhorn, Alpine resorts, and vineyards in the upper Rhône River valley.

Although her whereabouts are occasionally a mystery, her children– 10-year-old Claire, 8-year-old Loïc, and 6-year-old Sami– have learnt to look after one another. At the end of the day, Jule would always return with a fantastic explanation as to why she was delayed. Ultimately, the art of storytelling never fades, does it?

Her children naturally knew that she was making up stories to deter them from finding out the truth, but in their hearts, although they knew they were being lied to, they chose to ignore it– just as she intended. 

The intricacies of the relationship between the mother and the three children are explored voraciously through this film. But external sources also play a major factor in shaping the storyline. There are so many underlying aspects in this movie that instinctively make you realize the darkness that exists within each of us and the light that becomes a distant dream.

There are moments when the children behave more like adults– especially the eldest girl, Claire. There’s the rottenness in character associated with inequality in societal wealth and status. For instance, when Jule goes to pick Loic as he attends a middle-class friend’s birthday party, the other parents make snide comments while sneering at her. Jasmin managed to capture this scene without losing its blatantly vile and unvarnished essence.

Similarly, a locker room dialogue regarding fee payments between Jule and her gym instructor escalates quickly when the trainer comments ‘C’est ton passé, c’est pas mon passé’ (English: ‘It’s your past, not my past’). The inhumanity contained in that one line alone is despicable.

On another occasion, a teacher at the elementary school audaciously suggests that Jule routinely hits her children. Jule, already miserable and barely making ends meet, snaps when she hears this and ends up slapping him across the face. Although this is an act of violence, considering her circumstances, her reaction can potentially be justified.

Between all this chaos, she strives to make her kids happy, never letting them know how bad their dire situation really is. At one point, she resorts to petty thieving by stealing a cake from the supermarket. But later it is revealed that she just wanted to surprise her three kids with the cake, light a candle, blow the candles and dance around their living room. These small acts of abundant love and infinite care shape this movie into a silent masterpiece.

The movie barely contains any dialogue. It’s the actions that speak louder than the words. Ophélia Kolb’s acting is spot-on as usual. When combined with the performance of the children, it all felt very real. Jasmin Gordon’s exquisite portrayal traces the niche section affected by poverty in an affluent society remarkably well, highlighting the significance of this unexplored and rarely talked about ordeal predominant even in the richest of countries.