Review: Belle & Sebastian: Friends for Life the final in wonderful trilogy based on Cecile Aubry’s beloved books

BELLE & Sebastian: Friends for Life — the third in a wonderful series — has Sebastian’s family planning to leave their idyllic home in the Alps now the troubled WWII times are behind them. But the 12-year-old is still doing it tough.

THIS delightful French children’s adventure picture — the third in a wonderful series which commenced in 2013 — was released overseas as ‘The Last Chapter’.

Which sadly means Belle & Sebastian: Friends for Life definitively completes a trilogy drawn from the beloved books by Cecile Aubry, after which there will be no more.

Though the troubled times of WWII are now well behind him, 12-year-old Sebastian (Felix Bossuet) is still doing it tough.

Not only does his family intend to leave their idyllic home in the Alps for a new life in Canada.

Now a mysterious gent has arrived, claiming to be the rightful owner of Sebastian’s dutiful canine companion, the ever-amazing mountain dog Belle.

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Sebastian with Belle, now a mum to three mega-cute puppies.

With an uncertain future ahead — further complicated by Belle’s new role as mother to three mega-cute puppies — Sebastian has some big decisions to make for the sake of everyone in his world.

As was the case in the previous two films, Friends for Life is in no particular hurry to get from one set-piece to another.

While there are opportunities aplenty taken to enact the franchise’s famous feats of doggie derring-do, it is just as satisfying to watch Sebastian and Belle just strolling about in open country, merely enjoying each other’s company

Sebastian’s dutiful canine companion, the mountain dog Belle. Picture: Icon Films

Fans are going to miss this wonder dog.

BELLE & SEBASTIAN: FRIENDS FOR LIFE (PG)

Rating: Three stars (3 out of 5)

Director: Clovis Cornilliac (Blind Date)

Starring: Felix Bossuet, Tcheky Karyo, Clovis Cornilliac, Thierry Neuvic, Margaux Chatelier.

Fond farewell to the kid, the canine and the calm

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