The title of Nicole Garcia's complex and rewarding story of intertwined lives is "Charlie Says," but it is really about what observant 11-year-old Charlie sees. Set in a breezy unnamed Atlantic French town, the film takes a while to get going but turns into a penetrating examination of the way people's lives can veer off track and how hard it can be to find the way back. The introduction of so many characters feels awkward at the outset, but seemingly random scenes begin to cohere as director and co-writer Garcia tightens the threads.

Subscribe to the Hollywood Reporter and see the entertainment industry from its best angle: the inside looking out. Complete access to real-time news and exclusive analysis that goes behind the scenes from film to television, home video to digital media.

   Subscribe now.