O Olhar da Inocência

This is a movie I would recomend for a boring sunday afternoon when you're feeling a bit blue and you're trying to evade thoughts of the outside world.

The scenery is beautiful and the word that comes to mind when I think of the message of the movie is - compassion. It's a low key story about fríendship and it really brightened my boring sunday afternoon.

This little french gem of a film is in fact one of the best films I have ever seen. It is a story about true friendship and devotion and it shows what we who live in the so-called modern world have lost. Everything about the film is just perfect. It is funny, moving, filmed in a beautiful setting and yes,even Cantona makes a strong performance. Even though I am not an anti Hollywood "besserwisser" it is good to see films like this which main focus is to tell a really good story and to make you feel good. Yes, I now that this is a cliché but it is just what this film does to your brain. See it and understand what should be the most important things in your life.

Highly recommended.

I found this two-hour long story of friendship absorbing and deeply satisfying. It's a feast for the eyes, and hearing the French language tumbling over you adds to the atmosphere - you can almost smell it too. The French countryside is lovely to look at and the simplicity of the main protagonists' lives is beguiling (admittedly the weather always seemed close to perfect!). It's a nostalgic, evocative look at the past with realistic, thoroughly likeable characters.

A masterpiece from Jean Becker, 'Les Enfants du Marais' is a stunning celebration of the spirit of the common man. The film features an admirable performance by Michel Serrault as 'Pépé', set in the picturesque French countryside. Dreujou's breath-taking photography makes the film a must for any French-loving film-goer.

A real feel good movie.

Les Enfants Du Marais is a wonderful tale not only on account of its evocative imagery, atmospheric scenery and the fact that it is populated by genuine characters you know, once knew, or would like to know - it is a welcome and straight-forward reminder of what is important in life. Friendship and love and the simple but ever compelling pleasure found in physical work and play with a purpose; these are the scenarios in which true happiness is enjoyed to its fullest extent. It's not about tree-hugging, sandal-wearing save-the-world ideas but about true freedom -and what we choose to do with it. We get to witness the futility and sad contrivance of pomp and pride but also the power of change and a spot of kindness. Always without judgement yet never without feeling. This movie is not downright sentimental or nostalgic; it just happens to be good in what might be called an old-fashioned way, and it serves up some great laughs along the way. Above all, this is a movie for movie lovers with their hearts and minds in the right place.