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Life is a Long Quiet River More at IMDbPro »La vie est un long fleuve tranquille (original title)
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| Index | 16 reviews in total |
15 out of 15 people found the following review useful:
Now out on DVD in France, 11 April 2003
Author:
com-3 from Bristol, England
At last, this little gem of a film is available on DVD (only in French, no
subtitles, but it is, in any case, a difficult film to enjoy other than in
French), together with 2 hours of additional interviews.
This film is a wicked little satire on the differences (and, below the
surface, the similarities) between the bourgeois LeQuesnoy family and the
wastrel Groseille family. The artifice used is the switching of two children
at birth by the unhappy mistress of the gynaecologist.
For many of the actors and the director, this was their first film,
providing a stepping stone for greater things. But "La Vie est un Long
Fleuve Tranquille" should not be missed. Many of its little jokes became
catchphrases in the France of the eighties and early nineties, so cruelly
apt were they.
And do not miss Etienne Chatiliez's later films, particularly "Tatie
Danielle" et "Le Bonheur est dans le Pre".
You might not enjoy this film - some people clearly haven't. But I recommend
you make the effort to decide for yourself. It will be worth
it.
14 out of 14 people found the following review useful:
I personally liked it!, 25 January 2001
Author:
meitschi from Vienna, Austria
I was quite surprised that many commenters didn't appreciate this film at
all. I think you have to understand class differences in French society and
the film's kind of satire in order to be able to enjoy the film. I
personally loved it though I would have expected a real 'catastrophe' at the
end. But I nevertheless liked the story and the characters, especially this
very ridiculous, 'perfect' bourgeois family. I loved the scene where the
father looks at the crying, completely desperate mother and the only thing
that comes to his mind is to tell her: "Comme vous êtes belle ce soir!" (How
beautiful you are this evening!)
Probably Americans are not so familiar with this kind of black, but also at
times subtle humor and this is why the reactions were so
bad.
7 out of 7 people found the following review useful:
quality French farce, 7 March 2002
Author:
Seb from Sydney
Etienne Chatiliez is a director possessing a deft hand for comedy both cruel and subtle: think "Tatie Danielle" for the former and "Le bonheur est dans le pre" for a bit of the latter. La vie est un long fleuve tranquille is a hilarious examination of class-based comedy in the late 80s in France, with the time honoured "baby-switching" plot point to kick things off. Great performances allow a very funny film to sparkle on the screen. Highly recommended.
8 out of 9 people found the following review useful:
A cleverly devised movie that captures perfectly dark French humor., 14 June 2002
Author:
bobgask from Northern Virginia
Unlike the feel good, "everything turns out for the best," "innate human
goodness" fluff comedies that we see in the US, this film is based on the
proposition that, under pressure, everyone falls to the level of the lowest
common denominator.
Years in the past a scorned nurse/lover switched newborns to spite the
doctor who was the subject of her ire. When it was revealed, in the
present,
that these families from opposite sides of the track had each raised the
other's son to his early teens, they set about to make it right. After all,
there was enough success to go around. Right?
Rather than bringing everyone up to the level of the wealthy politician's
family, however, the children (siblings included) become a lot of foul
mouthed, cigarette smoking, truants who enjoy their delinquent lives to the
fullest. Naturally, the parents follow suit.
No one is immune. The film is a keeper, though the humor is decidedly
French
and some subtleties are likely lost in the translation.
7 out of 8 people found the following review useful:
A favorite French comedy, and one the funniest films I've seen, 19 August 2001
Author:
Ted Richards from Washington, DC
This film is perhaps my favorite French comic film. I have seen it over and
over through the years, perhaps 50 times. Having lived in France, I relish
it's send-up of two stereotypical French families and their attitudes and
interactions with each other as well as with institutions: the church,
schools, the medical profession, foreigners among them, etc. As I see it
over and over, it is my delight to concentrate on one character or another
as they delineate a stereotypical trait. The subtleties are hilarious, yet
I
can imagine those who have never lived among the French might be
bewildered,
even turned off.
6 out of 7 people found the following review useful:
Not a bad movie!, 6 May 2008
Author:
polishanya from Oregon, USA
*** This review may contain spoilers ***
To me, this movie was all about how life is not a long, tranquil river.
Anyone can disturb the peace by a simple action like the nurse did,
first by switching the children and later writing to the parents about
it. To her it was just an act of revenge towards the doctor, but the
consequences were not limited to the doctor. Etienne Chatillier pokes
fun at many different issues throughout the movie which is meant to be
a comedy. Americans, without knowledge of all these issues, as well as
the play on words and other humor aimed at the French, will not enjoy
it to its full extent. Nevertheless, anyone will laugh at the doctor
swearing scene. (La salope)
Most of the characters seem to be very stereotypical – the Arab
shopkeeper, the "poor family", the policemen, the doctor, the "rich
family". In fact, the only truly realistic character is Mômo. His many
sided character sometimes puzzles the audience. His romantic love for
his biological mother, his stealing to help his other family, his spite
in revealing the truth to Bernadette, his friendships with the children
in both families and his childishness, create a curious mélange. In
addition to these basic characters, there is also the priest. He is
used to criticize the church and religion in general.
Parenting and upbringing of children is an important theme in this
film. The children in the rich family are very polite, intelligent,
religious, etc. while the children in the poor family act stupid, are
rude and naughty. I noticed that this difference in upbringing was not
really substantial because when Mômo became part of the family and
introduced "naughty" ideas, the rich children just followed along with
enthusiasm. The way they were convinced so easily, shows that their
parents hadn't ingrained their education into the children. The only
reason why they hadn't done the "naughty" things before was that they
hadn't heard of such ideas. Once Mômo supplied them, they dropped all
pretence of a higher education, morals, etc. and followed along.
The rich parents' method of dealing with the problems was heavily
criticized in the movie. When Bernadette purposefully spilled the soup
at the table, they just sat there in silence. They continue using this
approach and we see how the children only get wilder and wilder,
unrestrained, and with no solution in sight.
I felt that the ending scene fitted in with the movie really well. It
summed up the idea that so many problems arise when one person simply
pursues their goal, not stopping at anything. The satisfied nurse
sitting, victorious, with the doctor completely broken. And this right
after seeing how the rich family completely fell apart. A cruel type of
humor.
La vie est un long fleuve tranquille is not an American comedy. There
are few slapstick moments. Nevertheless, I think many Americans would
enjoy this movie. I would definitely appreciate watching it once more.
4 out of 4 people found the following review useful:
pretty darn funny, 26 June 2000
Author:
spud-41 from california
True, this is not the best movie ever made. It is, however, extremely funny. One cannot truly realize why this is such a ridiculous movie until they know the the french culture. It is not a study in the class differences, it is to exaggerate the extreme opposite ends of the spectrum. The rich family is so stable it is almost hokey, and the poor family is so dysfunctional that they are almost stable. All of the comments about life are only to exaggerate the situation. I particularly love the scene in the church with the musical, it just goes to show how silly things can be. I don't watch this movie over and over for the plot, I watch it because every time you see it you notice something now that is characteristically French. Personally, I think it is great.
6 out of 8 people found the following review useful:
..... but it can become a little funny film, 4 August 2002
Author:
dbdumonteil
June 1987. Lille, in the North of France. Two families live in this big town. On one hand, the "Le Quesnoy", a wealthy family. The father is the manager of "EDF", the mother stays at home and the children are well brought up. On the other hand, the "Groseille" a poor family who lives in a small flat. The father took part in the Algerian War, the mother is listless and the children are delinquents. Apparently, these two families have got nothing in common. However, twelve years ago, two children have been exchanged by a nurse who was left by her lover. They will be given back to their real families..... .....and it won't be easy. It's Etienne Chatiliez's first film and it's very successful. The description of the two families is satirical and it never falls into the caricature. The "Le Quesnoy" are never showing signs of conceit or hypocrisy, they're even a bit ridiculous. The movie is very strong thanks to its actors who are mostly incredible: of course, the main actors :Hélène Vincent won the César for the best actress in 1989. Her portrait and some of her words are irresistible (it's monday, it's raviolis). Benoit Magimel who fits well in the role of Maurice. He's smart and impish. But the minor actors too: Patrick Bouchitey in his role of ecclesiastic, (The scene in which he sings "Jésus reviens etc..." during a party is absolutely brillant and funny, Daniel Gélin, a wistful doctor and a wicked lover. At last, the screenplay is full of little details or words that score the bull's eye. The best example is when Bernadette's spreading her soup on the table during a dinner which means that she doesn't belong to her family circle. To sum up: one of the funniest movies of the eighties.
1 out of 1 people found the following review useful:
A very good film and strong analysis of a part of French society, 8 July 2003
Author:
Sasha01 from Paris, France
Etienne Chatiliez has produced an excellent film.
His analysis of a part of French society (snobbish, ultra catholic and
well-thinking) is absolutely realist.
You will laugh, smile or hate if you are like them!
1 out of 1 people found the following review useful:
A playfull comedy, 2 September 2000
Author:
krn-2 from Montreal
The subject of two children being switched at birth could have easily been the canvas for a melodramatic movie. Instead of that, this work presents a playfull comedy where the clichés of society classes are scrutinized. The laughs are in the details, some dialogs are just memorable. And if the ending might seem a little unsettled, it has the intelligence of leaving questions and conclusions to the spectator about wealth and happiness.
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