Tasteless. At the end of the viewing, one is still looking for the humor and purpose of the film. There are only about ten interesting minutes towards the end. Difficult to understand how this film has had so much success.
There is still some originality in this repertoire film. Can you imagine a wedding ceremony inside prison walls? This is what is offered in this French scenario. We also find a French song, which is rarely the case in French films. Flowers and caviar are mixed in this criminal comedy. The pace is rather slow, although it becomes more agitated towards the end.
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I found this film very entertaining. Beautiful characters, Noémie Merlant is dazzling, she reminds me a bit of Florence Longpré. Original plot, beautiful sensitivity. My girlfriend and I laughed a lot and even bought the soundtrack.
A comedy?... perhaps a bit of humor should be injected into this film... apart from one or two lines (maybe three, including the one with the dog), this film should not be labeled as a comedy but rather as a light drama... thankfully, the film is not too long... Only worth watching if you are a fan of Noémie Merlant, who with her performance saves the film from a lower rating...
The film feels like a throwback to French or Italian comedies of the 70s, in the B category. More smiles than actual laughs. None of the characters were endearing enough to draw me into the adventure. As my rating indicates, not bad, but could have been much better.
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WARNING: This review is hidden because it reveals the content of the film. Click here to show this review.The title of the film should have been THICK as they say in Quebec, an INNOCENT THICKHEADED. Bumpy intrigue, what happens to the robbers who rob the first two robbers, what happens to Michel in the end, and the girlfriend of our Innocent... I do not recommend this film to anyone.
I don't fully agree with some of the glowing reviews of the film. Apart from a few funny and humorous scenes, the script is based on a theatrical game of appearances, lies, deceptions... The truth is volatile here and values become "elastic" according to the characters' momentary interests. In the end, the choice of the playful aspect of the film results in a crazy and heterogeneous film, with multiple narrative threads running in parallel (mystery, romantic comedy...). A.Grinberg's presence is beautiful, natural, and luminous.
I was left hungry, expecting more, a few good lines, chuckled occasionally, but good acting though. I attended a preview, would have been disappointed if I had paid for it.
It doesn't need explaining. There are films like that which at first glance do not seem particularly special, do not invent anything, and do not seem to revolutionize anything but enchant you from beginning to end, without one really knowing why. Works that could be described as touched by grace and hit the mark in everything they undertake. And this film tries many things with brilliance. Its young director, Louis Garrel, who seems to be everywhere at the moment either in front or behind the camera, creates a work of this caliber. At first glance, it may seem like a minor film, with a banal subject and a somewhat old-fashioned visual aspect, but it turns out to be a little cinema miracle, simple, efficient, and successful. Nothing to do with his previous, more or less sympathetic but certainly not memorable and undoubtedly anecdotal films "Deux amis," "L'homme fidèle," and "La Croisade." No, "L'Innocent" definitively reveals the actor as a talented filmmaker to watch.
His film is simple, humble, and never tries to be more. An engaging feature film about the family we create, wrapped in an acrobatic but highly enjoyable blend of genres. Indeed, Garrel invests a plethora of genres here and blends them into a cocktail that borders on perfection. A dose of comedy, a hint of drama, a dash of thriller, all sprinkled with romance. And none of these genres truly overshadow each other, but interweave incessantly in a whirlwind of emotions that make us go from laughter to tears with disconcerting fluidity. So yes, "L'Innocent" may not be extraordinary; it has a somewhat banal aspect that constitutes its small weak point. It may not leave an indelible mark on the seventh art, but it is a pleasant, captivating cinema experience that does a world of good. The magic of the big screen (or the small screen) at its peak in a feature film like we rarely see nowadays.
But what would "L'Innocent" be without its quartet of endearing actors who give the impression that they are truly mother and son or best friends depending on the characters? Each interaction between these four feels real, sounds right, and touches us deeply! Kudos to the diners' scene and the disguised declaration between Garrel himself and Noémie Merlant. The latter is definitely one of the most promising actresses of her generation. As for Roschdy Zem, there's no need to specify that he is impeccable, and it's nice to see Anouk Grinberg once again after a memorable second role in the no less memorable "La Nuit du 12." Not to mention the 90s atmosphere, intentional or not, which gives a nice visual touch to the film aided by a perfectly fitting soundtrack. So despite some minor lulls, one cannot help but love "L'Innocent," its sincerity, and its beauty to behold.