When Fall is Coming (Quand vient l’automne) tells a touching story about a French family and a relationship between a grandmother and her grandson. Clever turns and twists makes this unusual story a winner.

When Fall is Coming stars Hélène Vincent (#EldersRock) as Michelle. She’s a grandmother who has retired to the country after living most of her life in Paris.

Michelle’s daughter, Valérie (Ludivine Sagnier), and grandson Lucas (Garlan Erlos) are coming to visit. Michelle and her long-time best friend Marie-Claude (Josiane Balasko) go into the forest foraging for mushrooms for the meal Michelle is preparing. Lucas is planning to spend a week with his grandma.

Marie-Claude also has a son, Vincent (Pierre Lottin). He’s currently in prison. Michelle drives Marie-Claude to visit him.

When Valérie and Lucas arrive, we see that mother and daughter have a very bad relationship. Valérie seems to hate her mother and blames all her troubles on her. Even though her mother has already given her an apartment in Paris, Valérie asks for the deed to the house in the country and for money. When lunch doesn’t go well, Valérie takes Lucas and goes back to the city.

Michelle is heartbroken that Lucas won’t be with her for a week-long visit.

Vincent gets out of prison soon after the disastrous lunch. Marie-Claude doesn’t trust him but Michelle is kind to him and gives him opportunities. He returns her favors in unusual ways.

The film is full of lovely performances, especially from Hélène Vincent. The secrets in the story are handed out slowly and carefully. There are several big ones! There’s are some very subtle hints about gay characters, but it’s almost imperceptible.

The tagline on the poster is “delicious, sinister, and deadly.” The poster offers some other pretty big hints about what you can expect from this movie, but I’m going to be mum about any spoilers. They are too much fun coming one by one throughout the film to spoil.

I recommend watching this quiet little gem. You can see it streaming on Tubi, Prime, or Plex.