amazing concept, casting and execution but I found the entire movie to be grating on the nerves despite the accomplishment

Simply put: As good as it gets.

Ahhhh! Mathieu Amalric! A very simple French love story: a woman who was in love with a crazy young student who killed himself after a scene with her, kept the baby, found love in another man, a violinist who is not able to rise her son. At 35, she finally finds love with a rich man who is not a great lover but it does not matter. However, her father is very sick. She joins him in province whereas her sister who's a drug addict cannot be at his bedside. In the meantime, the violinist is interned for depression in a psychiatric hospital. The actors are great. Probably the best Desplechin compared with the 3 hours long My Sexual life...

Good film well written , well directed, great cast.

I was going to type up a lengthy review, but just have a look at Berardinelli's as he pretty much nailed it IMO. The movie itself is lengthy and drawn out and could have used some much tighter editing. Drinking a caffeinated beverage before watching is mandatory, lest the sandman will get you. I'd rate this as a bold, audacious, film, but a flawed one. A film that is not a total failure by any means, but still falls far short of being a great film. I give it a three out of five stars, and even that is being a bit generous.

One of the many joys and sadnesses of this necessarily long film are the way in which characters motivations and true feelings are gradually revealed as the film progresses, so that what starts out as a relatively straightforward drama becomes more complex, emotive and absorbing. Two skilled lead performances and two very different, flawed characters (but who basically both want escape) are at the centre of this compelling, funny, moving and truthful piece of cinema.

Amalric est toujours aussi impressionnant.

This is one of those mercurial philosophical movies that is sometimes engrossing sometimes exasperating. Catherine Deneuve drolly plays a chain smoking psychiatrist. I'm not sure whether I'd recommend this movie or not. It has some of the philosophical discourse that I loved in many films of the French new wave but it just doesn't quite match up to Truffaut or Godard. Admirable effort though.

Richly textured humane drama...

A wonderful but difficult film. My wife was repelled by it somewhat but I found it easy to get wrapped up in unlike most movies about relationships.Best part of it besides the excellent writing and directing was the role of Ismael beautifully played by Mathieu Amalric. At nearly 2 1/2 hours, which normally would be a killer, I'd consider watching it again.

"Odd pleasure" is the expression that best describes this combination of understated comedy and excessive melodrama. It will not be everyone's cup of tea; however, I felt intrigued by its chronological and emotional leaps, its strange tone, and Emmanuelle Devos' fascinating and powerful performance.

A wonderful cast in a great melodrama.

Be sure to enjoy the dance scene in the psychiatric ward, and be touched by an ending adult to kid explanation complete with much movement and exploration of a museum. Tons of little meanings in this film, when running to catch plans, get here - get there, defend your ground, be a good person. Also lots of themes on family and bonds.

Un film magnifiquement interprà (C)tà (C), qui dà (C)montre, une fois encore, l'immense talent d'Emmanuelle Devos.

Interesting melodrama. A bit sprawling and unfoucused seeming at times, but it was nvever boring. Great performances all around. First Desplechin film I've seen but have read that his A Christmas Tale from a couple of years ago is excellent.

Arnaud Desplechin consomme probablement autant de drogues que ses personnages.

Amalric est fou, Devos est touchante, Girardot est hystà (C)rique... Desplechin est puissant... Hail to the kings and queen.

this could only be a french movie. mathieu amalric is hotness.

Suppose to be a deep character study, but unfortunately the characters themselves aren't interesting in the least and they aren't helped along by sub-par performances either. Not a clue why this is so highly rated by critics.

Montage nouvelle vague, blabla à rallonge, acteurs au top pour un film d'une grande beauté.