A kind of bookend movie to the terrific Charlize Theron led TULLY now showing in cinemas, AURORE tells the story of a woman, Aurore, separated from her husband who has just lost her job and been told that she is going to be a grandmother.

Financially precarious and managing menopause, AURORE is trying to focus on supporting her pregnant elder daughter and her younger daughter who seems to be having a subservient relationship with a callow boyfriend.

Her ex husband has moved on and started another family so Aurore is the primary sustainer of her daughters’ emotional stasis.

Dealing with her own hormonal changes, her pregnant daughter presents a particular challenge for Aurore, whose life choice disappointments come into sharp relief after a chance encounter with the great love of her life.

AURORE diligently and deftly eschews the cliched romantic reunion by loading it with recrimination, regret and remorse. And yet, AURORE is fundamentally a comedy, albeit with some serious issues to tango with.

Writer director Blandine Lenoir’s trump card is the casting of Agnes Jaoui as Aurore in a world weary but warm performance that celebrates maturity giving currency to the adage that hope springs maternal.

Pascale Arbillot puts on a star turn as Aurore’s bosom buddy, Mano, in a cheeky out there performance that takes no prisoners tempered by the comfy, caring relationship she has with chum.

Shot and set in the coastal city of La Rochelle, AURORE is a pleasant to the eye panorama see it all in praise of older women. The title, as well as being the name of the main character, translates from the French to English as dawn, and the film is certainly a dawning for many of the characters in the story.