Dialogue avec mon jardinier (2007) User Reviews

Fruitful dialogue

[guy-bellinger · 8/10 · 4 August 2007]

Suppose another civil war broke out in France some day, well, Jean Becker might start it! Indeed because of him the country is now divided into two fratricidal sides: the spectators and the critics! As for the spectators, they flock to Jacques Becker's son's films and invariably love all he has done from "les Enfants du Marais" (1998). I personally -just like everybody else except the critics - have been amused and touched by the aforementioned movie as well as "Un crime au Paradis", "Effroyables Jardins" and his latest opus "Dialogue avec mon Jardinier". Simple but not simplistic, moving without being overly sentimental, humane but not populist, Jean Becker's last picture talks directly to the heart .On the other side you have the critics. This happy few are beside themselves with a man who dares show ordinary unaffected characters rather than Paris intellectuals between themselves, who tries to make our daily lives better rather than denigrate all the values not deemed valid by their highbrow circle. But let the civil war start: we spectators outnumber the critics by far. They are bound to be defeated!

As is always the case with Becker's recent movies, the story is very simple, not depending on plot twists or dramatic ups and downs to exist. However if you read the eponymous book (by Henri Cueco) which inspired the film, you will realize that the adaptation work (by talented Jean Cosmos) was no pleasure cruise. The title of Cueco's book ("Dialogue avec mon Jardinier") is telling in this respect: It has no storyline to speak of. It all amounts to a conversation between a Paris artist and his local gardener at the former's family house. Even more difficult, in the text, consisting mainly in the gardener's replies, there is no such thing as a real dialogue. You actually get to know the artist through the gardener's answers. How anti cinematographic! A carbon copy was impossible and Cosmos set about bringing on a few changes. Of course, he fleshed out the painter's character, modified a few facts (the artist is on the verge of divorce, he has a daughter about to marry, the circle of artists he used to mix with is described and satirize - hence the critics' reaction! - ; the gardener has become the artist's childhood friend, he does not a have a young daughter…) and created a subplot (concerning mostly the relationships between the artist, his separated wife and his young adult daughter). This way, although there is not much action other than an evolution in the characters' minds and feelings, "Dialogue avec mon Jardinier" functions as a true film, with a beginning, a middle and an end. But what is the most remarkable is that the dialogue of the book is transposed in full, with only a few minor additions or deletions. Such wonderful work allows Becker's last movie to attract the viewer while remaining faithful to the spirit of Cueco's original work: a sophisticated artist learns the basics of life while a John Doe is introduced to a world that totally escaped him before and enrich their minds mutually as a result.

The text is served by two outstanding actors, Daniel Auteuil (as subtle and humane as he can be) and Jean-Pierre Darroussin (absolutely amazing as the down-to-earth but not common gardener).

When you leave the theater you feel peaceful and happy despite the heart-breaking ending. It is the (French) critics' loss if they make all the efforts in the world to dislike such a beautiful film.

Sweet, simple story

[runamokprods · 7/10 · 30 December 2011]

For a while, this admittedly talky film (the title is quite accurate, it is mostly conversations) bored me a bit. While the two actors are terrific, the stakes didn't seem very high, and some of the talk seemed too 'easy' in it's wisdom; the working class gardener imparting what's really important in life to the upper-class artist. Not a new concept.

But this is one of those films that gains it's power by accumulation, and by the end of the film, when life has intervened in more dramatic ways, as it inevitably does, I found myself quite touched, if not deeply moved, and looking back on the whole experience of the film with a wistful fondness.

a pleasure to watch!

[WilliamCKH · 8/10 · 15 November 2009]

It's a great pleasure to watch a film in which the director gives time to characters to have conversation, to not be in a hurry to move things along. The two main characters, one a successful Parisien painter, and the other, a retired working class gardener, are brought together when the artist, moving back into his childhood estate, advertises for help in creating and planting a garden...zucchini, squash, tomatoes, peppers, beans,.. not really for eating, but really for the idea of a garden, for both artistic and nostalgic reasons. When the two meet, they turn out to have been childhood friends and relive some of their experiences and impressions of their childhood.

Though their lives since have taken very different paths, they easily settle in with one another, meeting every few days to tend to the garden when engaging in a series of conversations about art, work, family, love, death, etc. each providing his own unique viewpoint. The successful artist, with his money and fame, would seem to have the more respected viewpoint of the two, but as the movie progress, it becomes clearer that the gardener, with his common sense, his finding joy in simple pleasures, his not overreaching his happiness, may be the one living more authentically. I found their conversations very enlightening, not so much in their content, but the fact that they let each other finish their sentences, that the artist does not let his ego get in the way of learning from his friend. Their conversations are unhurried, filled with stillness, sometimes with one engulfed in his art, the other quietly tending his garden.

I was surprised how deeply the ending touched me. It was filled with compassion, showing very much how easily we all fall into the trap of and ego-driven life and that in the end, that sort of life becomes meaningless. But for the short time that were here, if we can cultivate those things which are true and genuine, our friendships, our family, our life's work, then, although fleeting, we will look at this short time given to us not with anger or sadness, but with gratitude.

BTW, both Auteuil and Daroussin are wonderful in their roles!

Conversation with my Gardener

[rajdoctor · 7/10 · 7 July 2008]

I read about this movie, and so deeply interested about the story line that I had to go and watch this flick. I do not understand French, nor the Dutch sub-titles. What I did was tried to search for sub-titles in English on the internet. Could not find one, so downloaded the sub-titles in Spanish, translated them to English and read the whole script of sub-titles before going for the movie. Surely it did not make much sense, but I depended on my memory to recollect the discussions between the painter and the gardener. Coming back home, I again re-read the sub-title script and recollected the images. That is how I saw and understood the movie. Though silly, that was the only and my way of doing enjoying this masterpiece.

The story is simple – a famous painter Dupinceau (Daniel Auteuil) is fed up with life in Paris and has decided to move back to his village home to paint. He hires a gardener Dujardin (Jean-Pierre Darroussin) who turns out to me school class mate. A whole lifetime has passed from where they started at school – remembering a prank the students played on their teacher's birthday cake. They share their journey of life with each other – through casual talks. The painter and gardener both experts in their fields are unique, in their perception of seeing things and understanding. Both of them become close friends – and with ailing health of gardener, the painter takes him to Paris for treatment. A few years later when the gardener dies, the painter fulfills his wishes by drawing the common things of his gardener's life – to capture those memories of happiness and joys.

The simplicity of plot and the depth of discussion is so appealing that one fills fulfilled by just listening the gardener and painter talk – you wish their talk would never end. This inspiring interest is created by Daniel and Jen-Pierre in living their roles perfectly on screen.

Seventy year old Director Jean Becker, who has also partly written the story takes us through this varied journey of life's mysteries without letting us know that.

The innocent wittiness of gardener's amazement and questions posed to the painter are the highlight of the movie – that bring enlightenment of seeing things differently for painter and also for us.

The background musical score is spare, but wherever it is used, it is effective. There are a few sub-plots, but the movie does not digress from the main theme, and kudos to that track.

The most moving scene for me was when the two friends go for fishing, catch a big fish and then leave it back in the water alive and free again. Wonderful! There are so many dialogues in questions, answers and casual exchanges – that resonate with our souls. The last words of the gardener would ring in our hearts for years – I would like that you painted something that I liked. And in the end - the painter does… A classic, not to be missed – only recommended for those who are willing to know their souls (Stars 7.25 out fo 10)

A lovely film dealing with realities of life

[GiGiGix3 · 10/10 · 29 March 2008]

I have just come from the FRENCH FILM FESTIVAL in Richmond, VA (2008), where I saw this film. I don't view a lot of American films, so I can't adequately compare, but I do know American film makers don't develop relationships between people the way French film makers do. While American films seem to give little short glimpses into people's lives, French film makers give us long conversations between actors and show us how one person can change the life of another.

In this film, the artist comes home to his roots. When he advertises for a gardener to work the potager at his old family home, an old school mate applies for the job. As they reconnect through the work, each contributes to the other's life. It's interesting to see how the artist's paintings changed as he was influenced by his friend.

The film deals with life, death, family, gardening, painting, sickness and other realities of life. The scenery is beautiful, the actors realistic, and the story believable.

When the director answered questions at the end of the screening, it was very interesting to hear the Americans trying to insert and look for symbolism in many of the scenes, but the director's replies indicated that symbolism was not intended, rather bare content.

I so enjoyed this film and wish I had a copy of it to entertain others with at my home. English subtitles are there, but if you understand French, you will get much more out of this movie. I found the English subtitles very British and not conveying the French spirit at times, but if you don't know the difference, it won't matter.

Sentimental comedy, mainstream with a twist

[josean_xx · 19 July 2008]

Jean Becker makes extremely typical french films, with lots of dialog, and masterful mise en scene. This film plays again with one of his favorite subjects, the wisdom of the uncultivated, working class simpletons, as opposed to the stiff way of life of the cultivated bourgeoisie. More or less. The story, a painter who goes back to the village of his childhood and befriends a retired railroad worker he hires as gardener ad happens to be an old childhood friend, serves well as an excuse for a series of enlightening dialogs and thoughts over class, life, struggle, love, etc. When it ends you have been entertained brilliantly for 90 minutes, and you are also left with something to think about.

Nice little movie

[daadv · 7/10 · 18 December 2010]

IMDb 7/10 ROTTENTOMATOES 7/10 ALLMOVIE 4/5

A famous painter whose marriage is in trouble goes back to the house where he grew up. He hires a gardener, who turns out to be an old childhood friend.

Great performances, nice script, realistic situations, very well developed relationships.

A movie that entertains and makes you think and value simple things in life.

This film was adapted from the memoirs of painter Henri Cueco.

Recommandable film. A pleasure to watch.

Not as simplistic as it might seem

[bacox · 9/10 · 1 May 2008]

* possible spoilers*

It's too easy to dismiss this film as a gentle piece of feelgood cinema. The characterisations are more subtle than that, especially the gardener, who's much more than just an idealised peasant. He's a man who's aware of the limitations of his life and doesn't see anything wrong with them, and every seemingly cracker-barrel remark challenges the assumptions of the middle-class painter, often deliberately. Arguably the painter is a more cliché figure, I certainly felt I'd met him before in French movies, but that is kind of the point - he's been living a received version of the artistic life.

I really enjoyed this film - be prepared for some moving moments towards the end, I wouldn't bill it as a comedy really. My one reservation is about the very last moments, which, though touching, seemed to re-assert the superiority of the artist in a way I wasn't quite comfortable with, as if the gardener's only purpose had been to revitalise the artist's career. Auteuil is good as you'd expect, but Jean-Pierre Darroussin is amazing, it's worth seeing the film for his performance alone. One of those actors who just doesn't seem to be acting.

Sometimes life moves just too fast too see its beauty

[LazySod · 8/10 · 9 April 2008]

Internationally known as "Conversations with My Gardener" this film deals with an artist that moves back to his small country side village of birth after living in the hectic and fast paced Paris for a good number of years. He is still married but divorce is on the way and is in desperate need of a change.

Once back on the country side he hires a gardener to work his garden while he works his art and as it turns out the gardener is a childhood friend of his that has been living in the village his whole life. When the two meet again they start reliving old memories and conversing about just about everything and inspiring each other in many ways, both learning something they had long since forgotten.

Beautiful imagery, nice mellow music, realism. But above all, a sparkling unity between the two main characters. With that the film has all the ingredients to be a great film. It falters on only a few spots and IMO the one place where it really fails is by taking a very often used cliché to add some events to the ending that work toward a quicker ending but toward nothing else.

8 out of 10 long talks on a midsummer night

du pinceau du jardin et du vin

[mmunier · 8/10 · 22 November 2007]

Our usual group of 4 Dutch, Filipino, Chinese Malaysian, and French did enjoy so much this movie screened in Sydney these past few weeks. As said before simple but without simplicity. This was also my sentiment, I imagine my french background took my enjoyment even a little further. I can't say I never had much passion for gardening although I do appreciate nature in general. But I like animals and people behaviour; it is so often fascinating. This is what this story did for me, it brought fascinating union and mutual respect between two very different people, this in a rather natural way. I let myself go with the gentle flow of the tale and rode the few bumps here and there as life scatters them. I won't talk about the story line since I'm sure it's been read many time before these lines. There weren't a crowd either in the cinema, only one more couple and one lone other person. Yet the story took you from the start and you did not need a crowd around to help you along. It was almost like a personal experience that somehow made you feel as if you were part of this dialogue. I do much appreciate Daniel Auteuil whom I discovered for the first time with G de Pardieu in "Jean des Florettes" and "Manon des Sources" Much as happened since and for both of them but one seems to have been imunised from Hollywood and is better for it in my opinion.

A Parisian artist returns to his roots and finds himself through an old friend.

[sebrenaud · 4/10 · 22 July 2007]

I found the movie rather disappointing.

Despite an excellent director and a great cast, the movie doesn't rise above the caricature of what life "should" be in the French countryside.

Auteuil and Daroussin are both struggling with dialogs that sound too poetic to be true. I couldn't help thinking that the "poetic gardener" character is just the idea that Parisian intellectuals have of life outside the capital.

That might also be one of the few movies where Auteuil just doesn't get it right.

If you want to watch a Jean Becker movie, pick any but not this one...

Jean - Pierre Darroussin

[Kirpianuscus · 1 July 2023]

His great performance is the axis of this moving short film about two friends encounter after decades , their jobs, family, memories, routine, different perspectives and different options but, both complementary.

A film who easy can be defined as good adaptation or bitter - sweer comedy , or demonstration of brilliant acting.

In fact, a beautiful invitation to viewer to discover himself, the near others, the beloved ones, the value of interests and virtues.

And a touching return to clear, precise, gentle, useful, honest simplicity, hiding painful details, offering naif, at first sight, perspective about life, defining, in proper terms, generosity and kindness.

In short, a film who must you see.

West Of Eden

[writers_reign · 10/10 · 15 March 2008]

With Les Enfants du Marais Jacques Becker made a great film that reminded us of Marcel Pagnol (when I said as much to him last night when he attended a screening of this, his latest release, he was gracious enough to say I had paid him a great compliment) and now he has made an equally wonderful film that is slightly reminiscent of Michael Radford's Il Postino; reminiscent it that it celebrates a friendship between a simple workman and a sophisticated artist but different in that here the two men had been school-friends before going their separate ways, whilst in Il Postino they met only when thrown together in adulthood. This is simply one of the most lyrical, deceptively simple films of the last several years and I have no hesitation in bracketing it with other 'small' films that have moved me immeasurably such as Brodeuses, Se Souvenirs des belles choses, Venus Beaute etc. If there is any truth in the claim made by one reviewer that Becker tends to divide critics and public then am I definitely with the public although I do enjoy films about Paris intellectuals as well as films like this one. Unbelievably it has yet to find a distributor in England and it may well be that English distributors read and are influenced by negative French critics. If so, shame on them, for this deserves to be screened at every cinema in the land.

Touching simple story

[Wordwhisperer · 8/10 · 31 July 2021]

Although at some point I was finding this movie having meaningless dialogues, in the end it's all a simple dialogue that everyone has in the day to day life. Daroussin played very very well, Auteuil in his usual manner.

Watch while fishing

[thecatcanwait · 16 November 2011]

This is a nice film. Not too twee. A bit better than bland. It rolls easy-goingly along.

I'm writing this review about a month after watching it. Usually i'll watch films a second time in order to review them – but with this i don't feel the need. I got the point the first time round. The point being: middle-aged friendship between blokes is something to be nurtured, treasured.

I reckon Auteuil and Darroussin – a pair of safe solid hands – didn't have to stretch themselves too far to play these roles. It seemed as easy for them acting it as it is for us watching it. The brotherly bonhomie between the two appeared inherent, generous, unaffected.

Darroussin (The Gardener) gently undermines Auteuil (The Artist) bourgeois values with simple ignorance – or better put, peasant commonsense; calls Auteuil "The Dauber". The Gardener hasn't got The Artists wider range of experience, or supposedly higher culture – but he knows a thing or two (like always having on your person a pocket knife and some string) The Dauber finds The Gardener's lack of pretension, his salt of the earth, ordinary simplicity, appealing – and eventually, even quietly enlightening.

Its feel-good cinema but understated; little feelings are allowed to bubble up subtly, like small ripples on a naturally occurring pond – while waiting patiently for that feel-good fish to present himself.

I'll watch it again when i'm in a dozy fishing kind of mood.

Its extremely pleasant. Lol

French simple movie

[milenapico · 29 October 2020]

It's a simple and a real French movie because altough the plot it's about normal life and it isn't about a specialy amazing story. I feel that the movie tells a tipical life in France. The movie is a comedy that shows an old friends and they meet again in particular circunstances. The movie shows that a differences in a each one lifes but don't a derogatory form. When you watch the movie you can remember the importance of your friends and the real feelings about friendship with many dramas affiliated with that. The scenery is beautiful, the French culture, the routines of the people and the dialogs they have make you think about the simples things. It's very slow but it's okay. If you like the simple movies that talk the dramas of the real life and if you love the french cinema, you should watch it.