Movies: Cheers to Joy (2023) by Jérôme Bonnell: When Lockdown Brings Unexpected Longing

Solitude Sparks Something More

In Cheers to Joy, French director Jérôme Bonnell tells the story of Véra, a lawyer from Montpellier who returns to Paris in March 2020 just before the COVID-19 lockdown. Véra plans a brief stop to tend to errands, but as rumors and restrictive measures close in, she stays behind in a friend’s apartment, lying to her fiancé (Mehdi) that travel is impossible. Isolated, she meets Sam, a neighbor, after an accident involving a head injury; their connection grows under the pressure of confinement. The film is intimate, set largely indoors, and becomes a meditation on solitude, desire, truth, and the sweet instability that can emerge when the world shutters. It’s produced by Stromboli Films for Arte and TV5, shot in French, featuring Amel Charif and Pablo Pauly in lead roles. The movie premiered at the Festival de la Fiction TV de La Rochelle in 2023 and won Best Director, Best Male Performance (Pauly), and Best Young Actress (Charif).

Why to Recommend Movie: Quiet, Tender, Unexpectedly Alive

• Véra’s delicate balancing act between fear and desire — Her decision to stay behind, to risk disconnection rather than face upheaval, opens a space for both vulnerability and emotional risk. Viewers witness how fear of loss and longing can coalesce into unexpected intimacy.

• Strong chemistry and nuanced performances — Amel Charif as Véra offers a fresh presence: sometimes guarded, often introspective, always believable. Pablo Pauly’s Sam is both gentle and attentive, offering moments of solace without overstatement. Their connection feels earned.

• Relevance through confinement — The film uses the lockdown not as mere backdrop, but as a pressure cooker: limited movement, uncertainty, and the blur between public crisis and private emotion. These constraints force the characters into small revelations.

• Visual intimacy and atmospheric detail — Shots of apartment interiors, night scenes in Paris, the sound of distant sirens or empty streets heighten both isolation and tension. The cinematography emphasizes what’s in hand: a wound, a call, a glance.

• Recognition and awards — Winning three major prizes at La Rochelle—Best Director, Best Male Performance, and Best Young Actress—underscores the film’s emotional impact and artistic quality. It’s not just topical; it’s artistically appreciated.

After watching, one carries away the feeling that even in lockdown, human connection can persist, surprising us when least expected, giving hope in small, honest moments.

Where to watch: https://www.justwatch.com/de/Film/auf-die-freude (Germany)

Link IMDB:https://www.imdb.com/title/tt29716211/

About movie: https://en.unifrance.org/movie/57617/cheers-to-joy

What is the Trend Followed: Pandemic Stories as Mirrors of Self

Cheers to Joy follows the recent wave of films exploring what life looks like in lockdown—the disruptions, the emotional collisions, the forced solitude.

• Pandemic-time dramas often focus less on medical drama and more on psychological landscapes, exploring how people cope when stripped of routine and certainty.

• There’s an increased interest in intimate relationships formed in confinement—neighbors, strangers, chance meetings—that test norms of loyalty, honesty, and love.

• The film also belongs to the trend of “micro-romance” stories: not epic love, but small glimmers—flashpoints of affection when everything else seems suspended.

Director’s Vision: Bonnell’s Patchwork of Longing

• Jérôme Bonnell allows long, quiet beats—scenes where no one speaks, but Véra’s expressions do most of the work. These moments emphasize emotional tension over dramatic action.

• He frames Paris lockdown not just as a time of crisis, but as a liminal space for characters to be more exposed, more honest, and more vulnerable than in ordinary times. The city becomes both cage and canvas.

• His direction balances realism (work calls, news reports, anxious texts) with poetic chance (meeting Sam, injury, physical closeness) to show how people find connection even when everything feels suspended.

Themes: Solitude, Truth, and Unspoken Desires

• Isolation and introspection — Véra’s forced separation from normal life pushes her to reflect on her own wants, her truth, and what she’s been denying.

• Lies and authenticity — She lies to her fiancé as a small cover; but as the days pass, the distinction between self-protection and self-betrayal becomes murkier.

• Emergent desire under constraint — The bond with Sam emerges slowly; the film shows desire as something that can sprout even in confinement, delicate and risky.

• Healing and disconnection — Physical injury (her bumping into furniture), emotional distance, and the rupture of routine all contribute to her fracture. Yet they also open spaces for new understanding.

Key Success Factors: What Makes It Resonate

• Relatable narrative grounded in recent memory — Many people living through lockdown will recognize Véra’s tension, anxiety, and small rebellions. That historical immediacy gives the story weight.

• Performances that feel lived-in — Amel Charif and Pablo Pauly bring both the hesitancy and warmth needed to make a slow-burn romance feel convincing. Their minor flaws and vulnerabilities make them human.

• Mood and pacing that allow space — The film doesn’t rush into romance or resolution; it lets moments expand, letting audience settle into the emotional state of the characters. This deliberation enhances the impact when connection forms.

• Topicality handled with gentleness — Though set during the pandemic, the movie doesn’t exploit it for spectacle. It uses it to probe emotional depth rather than fear, making it resonant without being heavy-handed.

Awards & Nominations: Festival Applause for Quiet Power

At the Festival de la Fiction TV de La Rochelle 2023, Cheers to Joy won Best Direction for Bonnell, Best Male Performance for Pablo Pauly, and Best Young Actress for Amel Charif—all affirming its artistic strengths. It stood out among TV movies for its storytelling and emotional resonance.

Critics Reception: Warmth Under Lockdown

• Critics in France praised it for capturing the surrealness of early lockdown—how fear, strange opportunities, and emotional vulnerability coexisted. They noted the performance of Amel Charif as particularly compelling, carrying both hesitance and longing.

• Some critiques pointed to scenes of intimacy and romance that felt predictable, or added in what they saw as unnecessary eroticism that sometimes pulled away from the emotional focus. Others felt the pacing could drag for viewers seeking more dramatic moments.

• Overall critics seem to agree the film is gentle rather than dramatic, cozy rather than cathartic—but that’s part of its charm, and its emotional honesty gives weight to its small moments.

Reviews: Small Moments, Big Feelings

• Strengths: The film excels at turning simple scenes (alone in a borrowed apartment, a whispered conversation, a sudden injury) into deeply felt emotional moments. The performances are warm, not over-prefect, and the script allows vulnerability to breathe.

• Weaknesses: Some viewers might find the romance subplot foreseeable; the emotional payoff is subtle rather than sweeping. The film’s slow build might test patience for those looking for more plot.

Overall: Cheers to Joy is a beautifully restrained film that offers solace, intimacy, and a reflection on what it means to be human in times of isolation.

Movie Trend: Romance in Lockdown & Life Interrupted

The film reflects the trend of romance stories set during or shaped by COVID-19 lockdowns, where external restrictions force internal change. Like other recent works, it creates tension by isolating characters, making small interactions profound, and examining how crisis reframes what people truly want.

Social Trend: Yearning for Connection & Honesty

In a period where many felt cut off, Cheers to Joy mirrors social longing for human connection, emotional authenticity, and the way moments of crisis expose both vulnerabilities and hidden desires. It taps into contemporary conversations about mental health, truth in relationships, and how isolation reshapes identity.

Final Verdict: A Tender Lockdown Love Story That Resonates

Cheers to Joy is quietly moving, intimate, and charming—an understated romance that feels deeply rooted in recent memory. It doesn’t promise grand gestures or sweeping arcs, but it succeeds in showing how love, honesty, and longing can emerge even amidst fear and uncertainty. For viewers drawn to emotionally delicate stories and character-driven cinema, this is a film that whispers truths rather than shouts them.