Lucybespro It is a performances centric movie

Dotsthavesp I wanted to but couldn't!

Comwayon A Disappointing Continuation

Lidia Draper Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

Boba_Fett1138 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.6/10http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/

Claudio Carvalho In 1942, in an occupied Paris, the apolitical grocer Edmond Batignole (Gérard Jugnot) lives with his wife and daughter in a small apartment in the building of his grocery. When his future son-in-law and collaborator of the German Pierre-Jean Lamour (Jean-Paul Rouve) calls the Nazis to arrest the Jewish Bernstein family, they move to the confiscated apartment. Some days later, the young Simon Bernstein (Jules Sitruk) escapes from the Germans and comes to his former home. When Batignole finds him, he feels sorry for the boy and lodges him, hiding Simon from Pierre-Jean and also from his wife. Later, two cousins of Simon meet him in the cellar of the grocery. When Pierre-Jean finds the children, Batignole decides to travel with the children to Switzerland.What a delightful movie this "Monsieur Batignole" is! The story is realistic, balancing dramatic situations with some funny scenes, like, for example, when Batignole is called in the train station to help a German soldier with a twisted knee. Another interesting and quite original aspect is the unusual number of French collaborators, since it is very difficult to see a movie that recognizes that they did exist in times of war. Further, Monsieur Batignole is not the usual hero, but a man driven by the reality to have a heroic action instead. The boy Jules Sitruk steals the movie with his attitudes, and Gérard Jugnot and Jean-Paul Rouve are fantastic. My vote is eight.Title (Brazil): "Herói Por Acaso" ("Hero by Chance")

tordiway 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.

ernier 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.