Character Relationship Map: Dodging the Clock

Characters

• Fred (played by Patrice Robitaille) — protagonist

  One of the three central friends; terrified by his girlfriend's desire to have a child, resorting to secretly sabotaging her birth control by adding contraceptive pills to her orange juice.

• Sébastien (played by Pierre-François Legendre) — protagonist

  One of the three central friends; already a father who is frustrated by how parental responsibilities clash with his desire to maintain a carefree social life with his friends.

• Paul (played by Jean-Philippe Pearson) — supporting

  One of the three central friends; experiencing mixed feelings and ambivalence regarding his girlfriend's current pregnancy and the prospect of becoming a father.

• Isabelle (played by Catherine Proulx-Lemay) — supporting

  Paul's girlfriend who is currently pregnant, serving as a catalyst for his romantic partner's internal conflict about impending fatherhood.

• Marie (played by Geneviève Alarie) — supporting

  Fred's girlfriend who desires to start a family, currently unaware of her boyfriend's secret sabotage of her birth control.

Canonical Relationships

Family, romantic, and professional connections based on plot evidence.

• Paul → Isabelle (Romantic Boyfriend) — Paul and Isabelle are a couple confronting an impending birth.

  Isabelle is identified as Paul's girlfriend, and she is currently pregnant.

• Fred → Marie (Romantic Girlfriend) — Fred and Marie are romantic partners facing incompatible attitudes toward parenthood.

  The plot identifies Marie as Fred's girlfriend, and she expresses her desire to become pregnant.

Story Dynamics

Alliances, conflicts, and narrative interactions that evolve throughout the story.

• Paul → Sébastien (Social Friend) — Their friendship links Paul's ambivalence with Sébastien's experience as a father.

  Paul and Sébastien are identified as two of the three friends whose experiences structure the film.

• Fred → Sébastien (Social Friend) — Their friendship places Fred's fear beside Sébastien's frustration with fatherhood.

  Fred and Sébastien are identified as two members of the central group of three friends.

• Fred → Paul (Social Friend) — Their friendship connects two different reactions to impending fatherhood.

  Fred and Paul are identified as two of the three friends at the center of the film.

Story Analysis

Three friends confront different forms of fear, uncertainty, and frustration surrounding fatherhood and settling down.

Plot Progression

1. Three Paths to Fatherhood — The film introduces Fred, Paul, and Sébastien as friends in different stages of dealing with parenthood. Their contrasting situations establish the central theme.
2. Fred's Hidden Resistance — Marie expresses her wish to become pregnant, but Fred responds with fear. He secretly puts contraceptive pills in her orange juice, creating a concealed conflict.
3. Paul's Uncertain Future — Paul faces Isabelle's current pregnancy and remains ambivalent about becoming a father. His uncertainty provides a second version of resistance to parenthood.
4. Sébastien's Competing Lives — Sébastien is already a father, yet parental demands conflict with his wish to spend carefree time with his friends. His experience contrasts with Fred's fear and Paul's uncertainty.
5. The Cost of Settling Down — The three friends embody fear, ambivalence, and frustration toward family responsibility. The story gathers these perspectives around the question of accepting or rejecting fatherhood.