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Les Enfants du Marais (1998)

Director: Jean Becker

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1 review

Movie review

From Time Out Film Guide

This 'gentle' yarn set in the Loire valley in the 1930s, follows an odd couple of odd-jobbers - Riton (Villeret) and Garris (Gamblin), muddling through life in relative poverty - and their friendships with various locals. Thus we meet middle-aged bachelor and dandy Amédée (Dussollier), who grins boyishly and introduces them to jazz on his gramophone; Tane (Boudet), who drives a train, so isn't around much; and bored self-made industrialist Pépé (Serrault), who finds his priggish family stultifying. Riton is an idler who waxes alcoholic on the marvels of his long-lost first wife, while his straight friend Garris secretly nurses a footloose spirit. The tone is lyrical and bittersweet - Garris develops a crush on a local girl (Carré) who heads elsewhere; Pépé rediscovers the rustic joys of his childhood - which is, perhaps, poignant, supposing you can rouse yourself to care a hoot. It's narrated by Riton's little daughter, who takes a shine to Pépé's grandson, and falls ill somewhere along the story; and, lest there seem a dearth of dramatic tension, there's an imprisoned ex-champion boxer (Cantona) who blames Riton for his misfortunes and swears revenge.

Author: NB

Time Out Film Guide

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User reviews of this film

Adlington said...

Posted on Nov 12 2010 10:16 Why is this lovely, gentle, entertaining film,
full of real characters and emotions not available on DVD? Critics may be right that is lacks 'action', so does much of most people's lives - but I fail to see how they can blame anyone but themsleves for not 'caring' about these very real people. Please can someone find a way to (re) release it on DVD?

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