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IMDbPro

The Good Life

Original title: La belle vie
  • 20132013
  • 1h 33m
IMDb RATING
6.6/10
231
YOUR RATING
The Good Life (2013)
Watch ’Trailer [OVS]’
Play trailer1:39
1 Video
19 Photos
  • Adventure
  • Drama
  • Romance
Yves is living in hiding with his sons, Sylvain and Pierre. Two years before, he had abducted them from their mother after a judge ruled against him. But the boys are growing up now, and con... Read allYves is living in hiding with his sons, Sylvain and Pierre. Two years before, he had abducted them from their mother after a judge ruled against him. But the boys are growing up now, and constantly being on the run deprives them of their adolescent dreams. Hidden on an island in ... Read allYves is living in hiding with his sons, Sylvain and Pierre. Two years before, he had abducted them from their mother after a judge ruled against him. But the boys are growing up now, and constantly being on the run deprives them of their adolescent dreams. Hidden on an island in the Loire, Sylvain, the younger, meets Gilda: love at first sight... and they are on their... Read all
IMDb RATING
6.6/10
231
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Jean Denizot
  • Writers
    • Jean Denizot(scenario)
    • Frédérique Moreau(scenario)
    • Catherine Paillé(collaboration)
  • Stars
    • Zacharie Chasseriaud
    • Nicolas Bouchaud
    • Jules Pélissier
Top credits
  • Director
    • Jean Denizot
  • Writers
    • Jean Denizot(scenario)
    • Frédérique Moreau(scenario)
    • Catherine Paillé(collaboration)
  • Stars
    • Zacharie Chasseriaud
    • Nicolas Bouchaud
    • Jules Pélissier
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 2User reviews
    • 12Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 4 wins & 3 nominations

    Videos1

    Trailer [OVS]
    Trailer 1:39
    Trailer [OVS]

    Photos19

    Zacharie Chasseriaud in The Good Life (2013)
    Zacharie Chasseriaud and Solène Rigot in The Good Life (2013)
    Jean Denizot in The Good Life (2013)
    Zacharie Chasseriaud and Jules Pélissier in The Good Life (2013)
    Nicolas Bouchaud, Zacharie Chasseriaud, and Jules Pélissier in The Good Life (2013)
    Zacharie Chasseriaud and Jules Pélissier in The Good Life (2013)
    The Good Life (2013)
    Zacharie Chasseriaud in The Good Life (2013)
    Zacharie Chasseriaud in The Good Life (2013)
    Zacharie Chasseriaud and Solène Rigot in The Good Life (2013)
    Zacharie Chasseriaud and Jules Pélissier in The Good Life (2013)
    Nicolas Bouchaud and Zacharie Chasseriaud in The Good Life (2013)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Zacharie Chasseriaud
    Zacharie Chasseriaud
    • Sylvainas Sylvain
    Nicolas Bouchaud
    Nicolas Bouchaud
    • Yvesas Yves
    Jules Pélissier
    Jules Pélissier
    • Pierreas Pierre
    Solène Rigot
    Solène Rigot
    • Gildaas Gilda
    Jean-Philippe Écoffey
    Jean-Philippe Écoffey
    • Françoisas François
    Maya Sansa
    Maya Sansa
    • Elenaas Elena
    Cédric Vieira
    • Ericas Eric
    Christèle Tual
    • La mèreas La mère
    Nyal Doya
    • Musicien manoucheas Musicien manouche
    Calypso Buijtenhuijs
    Calypso Buijtenhuijs
    • Fille marché 1as Fille marché 1
    Marie Buijtenhuijs
    • Fille marché 2as Fille marché 2
    Corinne Debonnière
    • Femme de la fermeas Femme de la ferme
    Jerry Tabary
    • Homme du marchéas Homme du marché
    Thierry Véron
    • L'épicieras L'épicier
    Marie Lemiale
    • Maryseas Maryse
    Samuel Denizot
    • Bébéas Bébé
    François Denizot
    • Le maraîcheras Le maraîcher
    Clémence Dumon
    Clémence Dumon
    • Marjorie, la serveuseas Marjorie, la serveuse
    • Director
      • Jean Denizot
    • Writers
      • Jean Denizot(scenario)
      • Frédérique Moreau(scenario)
      • Catherine Paillé(collaboration)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    User reviews2

    Review
    Top review
    Band on the run.
    This story may be incredible in contemporary France but it is based on a true story ,'the Fortin affair " ,and the father and his two sons were "on the run" from 1997 to 2009;for the record ,the "guilty" father was sentenced to two months imprisonment without remission.

    Jean Denizot proclaims Renoir 's influence and he makes a wonderful use of the Loire valley,quiet places where you can shun a world that has made you outcasts (the girl hints at a nuclear power plant,probably that of Chinon,and that's all) .The movie focuses on the last year of this fringe family unit,when strained relationship between them begins :the older son ,who complains he's "still a Virgin lad" , disappears early in the movie before reappearing for an admirable scene : the youngest boy compares the lit up windows of a building to an "Advent Calendar" which the schoolteacher brought to her class:he left when it was his turn to open a window.

    The screenwriters do not pass judgment on their characters: dad is a good man ,he lives for his children and -some call it emotional blackmail but it is not so ,for his children can return to their mom if they want to- he will give himself up,should they leave him.As for the mother ,we learn she is a "bourgeois" ,she is educated ,but she is never really blamed : the director avoids being biased and that may explain the abrupt ending.

    But Jean Denizot was also influenced by Terence Malick and he tried to infuse American elements into his movie:"La Loire is our Mississipi"he reportedly said So,hello Huck Finn and moon river !IMHO,it's irrelevant:his movie does not sound American at all,and he succumbs to an usual contemporary vice: there're three country-folk cuts in the soundtrack,in English of course , whereas there ARE plenty of French old folk songs or contemporary works such as those of singer Renaud which deal with childhood nostalgia :"La Pêche A La Ligne ",notably, would suit the movie nicely

    "La Belle Vie" (the title was borrowed from a Sacha Distel song,mentioned in the final cast and credits ,but not heard in the movie),despite some reservations,is an endearing work,and the Young actors ,the two boys and the girl give convincing performances ,if only for their spontaneity;Nicolas Bouchaud is a moving dad,tired of the world,who still tries to smile through the pain and to enjoy simple things ,like eating fish in front of a campfire ,even if he does not know what tomorrow will bring;it 's really the outcast against the whole world,but ,and it is much to Denizot's credit,he never feels sorry for himself and his son's last words show that he is proud of his rebel dad .

    Not to be mistaken for Robert Enrico's eponymous movie (1963)

    Like this? try this.....

    "Un week-End Sur Deux" (Nicole Garcia,1990)
    helpful•8
    1
    • dbdumonteil
    • Aug 7, 2015

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • April 9, 2014 (France)
    • Country of origin
      • France
    • Language
      • French
    • Also known as
      • Dobre życie
    • Production companies
      • Mezzanine Films
      • Love Streams Productions
      • Indéfilms
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • €1,000,000 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 33 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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