Monsieur Batignole

Both an entertaining and a sincere movie. Jules Sitruk definitely did a very good job in here. The story had indeed some emotional involvements and was above the average. I liked the way Gerard Jugnot and Jules interacted with each other. Sometimes it was a bit oversubscribed and unrealistic - I'm thinking of the gorgeous sequence with the German soldier who had his knee dislocated - but nonetheless it didn't minimize the movie's natural charm. The historical background adds a significant amount of authenticity to the whole plot and grants the movie additional quality. Solid acting, entertaining experience. Recommended.

This is a rather good simple light movie about a heavy subject. Despite its heavy WW II subjects, such as anti-semitic feelings, collaborates, this movie at all times remains a light and pleasant one to watch, due to its approach and way of storytelling.

The movie is rather simplistic and there is not an awful lot of tension or even surprises in this movie really. Yet the movie is effective since it is well made, has nice characters and a rather nice main plot line that it follows.

The movie is build up well and sets up a good feeling and atmosphere of 1942 occupied Paris and the characters of the movie. Too bad that about half way through the movie the movie suddenly takes another approach and becomes an almost entirely different movie, with different settings and also for some part different characters. It's also obvious that they spent most time and effort on the first halve of the movie that is definitely better looking, more believable constructed and has a better flow. In the second halve of the movie some unlikely events occur and the movie and story at times feels like it was done in a hurry and not everything flows well or reaches a satisfying conclusion.

The movie has some good and enjoyable characters in it and the movie gets carried by Gérard Jugnot, who also directed and wrote the movie, who plays a rather unsympathetic and anti-hero at first but as the story develops he gets more and more human so the speak and starts showing his emotions and expresses his thoughts. This is a nice approach for the main character that also works well for the story. It's a great role by Gérard Jugnot, who shows how multi-talented he is. The young Jules Sitruk also was great in a quite big role. Jean-Paul Rouve was also greatly cast as the future son-in-law and collaborator.

The movie is a good watch but overall the movie is just a bit too light and simplistic to leave a really lasting or powerful impression.

6/10

http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/

Probably the best film I have seen so far this year. We recently screened it for our Film Festival Selection Committee and the response was near-unanimous - four stars. The previous commenter's accusations of "terminal cuteness" baffle me - this is the best good-old-fashioned solid three-act structure Hollywood movie I have seen in a long time - and it was made in France. The distributor claims that they cannot find an American distributor who will meet their terms - therefore, there are no plans for American release. If you can find it playing at your local Jewish Film Festival (about the only place you are likely to find it in the US - a shame, really, since it is not a film only for Jews)by all means buy your ticket and go.

Although some of the characters are clichés, they are all well acted. The film manages to mix its humor with the seriousness of the subject without the awkwardness and maudlin artificiality of "Life is Beautiful." I don't know if this has been released in the U.S. (I saw it on an Air France flight), but it is worth looking for.

The great strength of: Monsieur Batignole, already resides in a careful and readable production, moreover it benefits from wonderful interpretations, qualified as fair and remarkable by its actors including and especially: Gérard Jugnot (marvelous of emotion and truth) and Jean-Paul Rouve (César for best male hope in 2003). The other actors in the movie were also exemplary. This movie is also a fiction, it is incredibly good, a suspense will reign as well as splendid scenes of tenderness which will delight your heart, without the realization exaggerating in any way on certain scenes which are real jewels. A Magnificent movie.