This french film, as the title suggests is about a voyage taken by a father & son. The voyage - is a pilgrimage to Mecca for a devout & stern father who forces his youngest son to drive him as he himself cannot drive a car. The son, who is not the least bit religious and does not comprehend why his father insists on driving from the south of France all the way to Mecca dragging him in the process just prior his baccalaureat. Father and son have nothing in common and are not only separated by a generation gap but are also separated by beliefs, language and cultural barriers; and have a poor opinion of each other.
Writer & Director Ismael Ferroukhi has excelled in depicting this pilgrimage using some well depicted situations that the duo come across during their journey and how either the father or the son overcome the obstacles slowly rising in each others eyes. By the time they reach Mecca, the duo have developed a mutual respect for one another and bonded as father and son having undertaken a life changing voyage.However, Ismael Ferroukhi throws one final twist - the hardest challenge that any son has to go through.
Cinematography is excellent with the film being actually shot in some amazing back drops in the countries that lie along the route. Anyone who has traveled long distance via automobiles or would like to vicariously do so will be able to relate & appreciate this.film. The transition between scenes could have been a little better but does not take anything away from the film. Nicolas Rezale as the son and Mohamed Majd as the father have both excelled in depicting the characters they portray.
So what prompted the old man to drive - " .a drop of water can only get purer the further it travels towards the heavens as it evaporates." - he would have walked if he could!