Jeux d'enfants (2003)

User Rating:

7.6/10   

Director:

Yann Samuell

Writer:

Yann Samuell (writer)

Release Date:

14 May 2004 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

From the visionary mind of director Yann Samuell comes France's hit comedy!

Plot:

As adults, best friends Julien and Sophie continue the odd game they started as children -- a fearless...

Plot Keywords:

Game | Daring | Urination | Female Nudity | Fake Marriage Proposal

Awards:

3 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Guillaume Canet	...	Julien Janvier
Marion Cotillard	...	Sophie Kowalsky
Thibault Verhaeghe	...	Julien à 8 ans
Joséphine Lebas-Joly	...	Sophie à 8 ans
Emmanuelle Grönvold	...	Julien's Mother
Gérard Watkins	...	Julien's Father
Gilles Lellouche	...	Sergei Nimov Nimovitch
Julia Faure	...	Sophie's Sister
Laëtizia Venezia Tarnowska	...	Christelle Louise Bouchard (as Laetizia Venezia)
Élodie Navarre	...	Aurélie Miller
Nathalie Nattier	...	Sophie à 80 ans
Robert Willar	...	Julien (80 ans)
Frédéric Geerts	...	Igor
Manuela Sanchez	...	Teacher
Philippe Drecq	...	School Principal

Also Known As:

Love Me If You Dare (International: English title)
Mieux que la vie (France) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for language and some sexuality.

Runtime:

Canada:93 min (Toronto International Film Festival) | Japan:90 min

Country:

France | Belgium

Language:

French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Japan:PG-12 | Mexico:B15 | Hungary:14 | South Korea:15 | Germany:16 | Australia:M | Finland:K-11 | France:U | Ireland:15 | Netherlands:12 | Singapore:M18 | Singapore:NC-16 (cut) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | USA:R | Philippines:R-13

Filming Locations:

Liège, Belgium

Company:

Nord-Ouest Productions

Trivia:

The film is dedicated to Yann Samuell's parents-in-law Gerard and Sonia. Gerard and Sonia lent their house to Yann Samuell while he was writing the screenplay. The two were killed in a car crash a week before the film was released.

Goofs:

Continuity: The first time we see the bus driver chasing the bus his hat falls off towards the left side of the road. The second time it drops directly behind him to the right of the middle.

Quotes:

Sophie Kowalski: Tell me that you love me first because I'm afraid that if I tell you first you'll think that I'm playing the game.

Soundtrack:

La Vie en Rose

The World is Their Playground

I love this film. It's light, dreamy, and colorful. The movie does not ask you to take it seriously, but simply to watch as Julien and Sophie play with the elements of conventional life. I'm reminded of a character from Milan Kundera's Immortality, who played with the world in the same fervor and commitment.

We see Julien and Sophie's games becoming more and more elaborate as they grow up, affecting other lives even. And when they do, you understand at most levels that they do not mean to hurt other people. They just play as the game is supposed to be played.

It is fantasy in that it lets you suspend realism for a moment, and dwell on the things we take for granted many times- laughter, romance, and childlike innocence. This movie made me smile, and I have no need to question motivations etc. It would be absurd to questions things that are meant to be left alone in their wonder.