Synopsis
A man, Milan steps off a train, into a small French village. As he waits for the day when he will rob the town bank, he runs into an old retired poetry teacher named M. Manesquier. The two men strike up a strange friendship and explore the road not taken, each wanting to live the other's life.
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Cast
- Jean RochefortMonsieur Manesquier
- Johnny HallydayMilan
- Jean-François StéveninLuigi
- Pascal ParmentierSadko
- Charlie NelsonMax
- Isabelle Petit-JacquesViviane, Manesquier's mistress
- Édith ScobManesquier's Sister
- Maurice ChevitHairdresser
- Riton LiebmanBurly Guy
- Olivier FauronSchoolboy
Recommendations
- 100
Wall Street Journal
Goes from good to great in 90 minutes, and then it's over, except that it's really not, because this small masterwork grows even deeper and more affecting as it takes up permanent residence in your memory. - 90
Washington Post
Piquant, thoroughly engaging character drama. - 90
Washington Post
What a good movie. Sometimes you get tired of 'splaining and you just want to say: Hey, this one's really very good. That's all, folks. It's a damn good movie. - 88
Charlotte Observer
Unobtrusively satisfying. - 88
Philadelphia Inquirer
In the end, what the movie is about: time and life, and what we do with them, and what we regret that we didn't do. - 80
Dallas Observer
Both actors are marvelous, and the film, low-key but heartfelt, is a gem. - 75
ReelViews
The film doesn't have much of a narrative, and the ending is a little too mystical, but there's still plenty here to engage the attention of all but the most restless of movie-goers. - 70
Los Angeles Times
As a filmmaker, he (Leconte) doesn't have anything profound to say but does say his something with craft, visual flair and professionalism. Depending on your mood, that can be either too little or just enough.
