Just released from prison, a 50-year-old (Vincent Lindon), goes home to live with his dying mother.

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Release from prison at almost 50, Alain (Vincent Lindon) goes home to his mother (Hélène Vincent) while he looks for a job. But she, a widow for many years, is set in her ways and their forced living together does not make their relationship any better - long silences are broken only by reprimands and sudden shouting. When he finds out that his dying mother intends to accept an offer of dignified assisted suicide in Switzerland, their dialogue becomes even more strained. Confronted by his mother's freedom of choice, Alain must learn to accept it and try to bridge their disagreement before its too late.

Although the subject matter of Quelques heures de printemps is serious and requires a lingering pace, is it necessary to mix in the lack of communication and the hopelessness of a woman who expects nothing more from life? By telling this story at a slow pace, giving the impression that the drudging lives of this old woman and her estranged son are being experienced in real time, the makers of this film subject the audience to many moments of boredom.