Full Time (2022)

Full Time turns the everyday logistics of survival into a white-knuckle thriller of a drama, the kind where a missed train feels as catastrophic as a gunshot in another movie. Éric Gravel’s direction is lean and relentless, capturing Paris not as a postcard but as a pressure cooker, and the transit strike becomes the perfect storm that exposes how little margin working people are allowed. At the center is Laure Calamy, giving a performance so alive you can practically feel the clock ticking in her pulse—furious, funny, exhausted, and stubbornly hopeful all at once. It’s not a relaxing watch, and if you prefer your dramas gentle and spacious this may feel overwhelming, but if you want something bracingly real and emotionally earned, it’s unforgettable.

Full Time is trying to put you inside the skin of a working single mother and make the daily logistics feel like a thriller, and it largely succeeds thanks to Laure Calamy’s ferocious, lived-in performance. The catch is that the film is basically a sustained panic attack: it’s relentless, tightly focused, and intentionally stingy with relief, so if you watch movies to unwind, this will feel punishing rather than “immersive.” Its stripped-down realism also means you won’t get much in the way of broader world-building or side-character depth—everything serves the pressure cooker. If you can handle two hours of controlled stress for a payoff that’s emotional rather than flashy, it’s powerful; if not, skip it and save your nerves.