Jeanskynebu the audience applauded

BallWubba Wow! What a bizarre film! Unfortunately the few funny moments there were were quite overshadowed by it's completely weird and random vibe throughout.

Allison Davies The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

Juana what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.

David Moody I remember having to study this movie in detail when I studied French in high school.While not overly exciting, the the very name of the movie suggests an emotional nature of some sort.Although many characters play significant roles in this movie, the focus is on violin repairman Stéphane and a rather flawed relationship with business partner Maxime, and violin musician Camille. Although Camille is betrothed to Maxime, she develops an interest in Stéphane, who although he is aware of this, does not reciprocate and even speaks about emotions and how he doesn't feel them. (It would take someone as emotionless as Stéphane not to feel Camille's pain at hearing this). The saying 'Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned' is very much brought to light in a later part of the movie when a very dolled up (and perhaps even slutty looking) Camille confronts Stéphane at the brasserie that serves as a common meeting place for the characters.Stéphane's 'lack of feeling' is put to the test when confronted with the situation of terminally ill elderly friend Lachaume.

uscricump I didn't think I liked French art movies, and I'm not sure I liked this one. But I have to recognize a masterpiece when I see one. This is the most perfect movie I have ever seen (and of course you know I mean "most nearly perfect"). There is not an extra line of dialog, there is not a cutting of the eyes that doesn't mean something. The acting is superb, and learning to play the violin in order to act in this movie was an heroic act.I checked that this review contains spoilers. Although I am trying hard not to provide any specific spoilers, I have to mention that at the end of the movie comes a scene that seems all out of the blue and disconnected with the entire previous footage. But the DVD I had included as an extra an interview with Claude Sautet in which he said, essentially, "Without that scene we would have been unable to complete the movie." To me it is the scene that answers the question, "Who is Stephane?"--although the answer you get and the answer I get to this question may not be exactly the same.This is not my favorite movie, nor do I rank it as a best movie. But it is just about the most perfect movie I have ever seen. It does exactly what Sautet set out to do, assisted admirably by his principal and secondary actors. If you don't like what they set out to do, that is understandable, but I honestly believe that whether you like what they did or not, they couldn't have done it any more perfectly.I didn't think I liked Ravel string music either, but I have changed my mind on that one.

jorge-ryder I read that Claude Sautet inspired himself in the Pechorin's Diaries, a part of Mikhael Lermontov's "A Hero Of Our Time". In Phoenix Cinema blog: "For those interested–to understand Stephan's character, read Lermontov's novel A Hero of Our Time. (The novel is even mentioned in the film.) Stephan is a modern-day version of Pechorin." Now Pechorin is a complex Byronesque character that has ambiguous but plausible reasons for his apparent "winter" heart. He is a formidable character in Russian literature (like Oneguine, for instance) and the paradox of his coldness is enough to make a film director/screen writer wanting to start something. This tip should be taken into account before engaging in more audacious explanations for the character of Stéphane.

Syl I have to say that I love Daniel Auteuil. I think he was one of the world's finest French film actors. Anyway, he plays a man who falls in love with a woman. Odd isn't? he plays a violin maker or repair guy. French films tend to do a lot on relationships between men and women. In this film, Daniel is after Emmanuelle Beart's character. It doesn't really matter because we know where this film is heading. Unlike American films on relationships, the French films do tend to take their time in exploring and not exploiting the women and men like meat. This film is a great example of how good acting, solid directing, and decent writing can allow the audience to understand the characters with greater depth including their flaws and attributes. It's a pity that American film directors don't reply in the same way to the audiences to day. French films would be far more popular among single American women if we had more access to it at the local cinema.