You are here:

The Finishers

Name: The Finishers
Director: Nils Tavernier
Released: 2013
Duration: 94 min

Representation Score

7.0/10

Good

2013

Director

Nils Tavernier

Runtime

94 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

The film succeeds by centering a character with a physical disability as a proactive driver of change rather than a passive figure. Julien drives the narrative through his own willpower and challenges, providing a strong foundation for disability representation. However, the film lacks breadth in other areas. The narrative remains centered on a traditional family structure and a homogeneous French setting, offering little in the way of racial or LGBTQ+ diversity. Ultimately, the work is most effective when it challenges traditional masculine archetypes and the myth of the perfect Western family, replacing them with a nuanced look at human vulnerability and the complexities of caregiving.

Watch this, not that →

Category Breakdown

Does The Finishers have LGBTQ+ representation?

Fair

The film focuses on a traditional familial unit. There is no explicit evidence of LGBTQ+ characters or narratives exploring non-straight relationships.

How does The Finishers portray gender?

Fair

The story disrupts traditional gender roles by portraying the father as a vulnerable man rather than a stoic leader. It shifts power dynamics from traditional protector roles to a shared struggle.

How racially and ethnically diverse is The Finishers?

Limited

Set in a localized French context, the narrative appears to operate within a relatively homogeneous framework. There is no explicit evidence of a multi-ethnic cast.

How does The Finishers represent religion and culture?

Good

The film deconstructs the 'ideal family' by showing a unit falling apart under strain. It prioritizes the raw reality of caregiving over sanitized, moralistic depictions of domestic life.

Does The Finishers include disability representation?

Excellent

Julien, a character with cerebral palsy, serves as the primary catalyst for the plot. He asserts his own choices and will by challenging his father to participate in an Ironman race.

Present on Screen

The protagonist with cerebral palsy is a proactive driver of the plot rather than a passive figure.
The film challenges traditional masculine archetypes by showing a father's emotional vulnerability.
It avoids idealized domestic clichés by portraying the realistic strain of caregiving on a family.

Limited or Absent

The narrative lacks significant racial and ethnic diversity within its French setting.
There is no evidence of LGBTQ+ representation or non-straight relationships.
The film operates within a relatively homogeneous framework regarding its cast and social scope.

Official Synopsis

Julien, 17, is wheelchair-bound due to cerebral palsy. Despite their love for him, his family is gradually falling apart under the strain of dealing with his disability. In a bid to bond with his father, Julien challenges him to participate with him in the Ironman race in Nice (French Riviera), a triathlon in which his father has previously competed.

How are these scores produced? →