BrianSez's Review

Summary - Really Great 4.5

A fascinating film about children in Nazi occupied France, and an almost surreal view of the effect that their horrific Lebensraum policies had on an otherwise peacefully run boys Catholic school and the surrounding small French community. Dramatic without over use of drama – instead, this film hits you hard as you watch the uncomfortable reality unfold through a child’s-eye view.

Acting - Very Good 3.5

Gaspard Manesse as Julien Quentin, and Raphael Fejtö as “Jean Bonnet” (really Jean Kippelstein) are the central characters and both shine as thoughtful and smart boys. Julien eventually gets what is going on around him shortly before Jean and the other Jewish boys are rounded up and taken away.

Film - Really Great 4.5

Louis Malle makes use of everyday happenings to tell the story. Boys being boys at school and with Family – kidding each other over girls and bed-wetting – the creepy fact that they are being encroached by the Germans is only heavily apparent towards the end of the film – and that has maximum effect to show how this poison is such a shock to common life. The film ends up being just as much about the turmoil within the French people as much as it was about the Germans.

Edge - Tame 1.3

Reality - Glib 1.2

2 Comments

• BrianSez Apr 18, 2010 8:23PM

  Ok – I’ve just added this to my Netfix queue – and it is stream-able now, looking forward to seeing very soon!

• Wick Dec 20, 2009 5:55PM

  Regarding hurwizzle’s Review
  Thanks for posting a first review of Au Revoir Les Enfants, Hurwizzle. I saw this movie when it came out and its resonance stays with me to this day. As it happens, it’s 3rd in my Netflix queue right now because I wanted to honor it with a WikPik review. Now I can relax ‘cause you’ve filled the gap.

• Feed
• Movies
• ViewLists
• NewOnDemand