Humanité

Rating:
Summary: Hopperesque
Review: The previous reviewer was very insightful. I would add that the imagery aesthetic seems like an Edward Hopper painting - with isolated, silent characters in sparse environment. The scale of the movie is the opposite of epic. It is on a human scale - to the extent of being on the scale of a single individual. A nice touch was to make the lead character's breathing the undertone of much of his scenes. His stiff child-like walk, slow pronunciation and wide-eyed countenance lends him an aura of sincerity through innocence which meshes well with the silent portayals of his inner thought process. The final scene is rich in possible interpretations - ask yourself why she reacts that way.

Rating:
Summary: Slower than growing grass. In the desert.
Review: The protagonist (if you can call him that) is played by Mount Rushmore. That's how much expression his face is capable of. It was obvious from the very beginning who the murderer was (unless it was our protagonist instead) but the ending includes absolutely NO clues to how they break the case. It's not a mystery story, it's not a love story, it's not a tragedy, it's not a comedy, it's not even a movie. This is international film at its worst.

Rating:
Summary: The daily grind goes on..........forever
Review: This film takes you to a non-descript working class town in Northern France where the local police "superintendent", something like a detective rank, has the murder of an 11 year old girl to contend with. Do not expect a story about the investigation - unless you consider a scene several minutes long in which they ask the father of the girl if he can answer some questions, he says "no" and the detectives leave. There are a few French films I've noticed that are simply "atmosphere" with little to no meaninful dialogue and little plot. Most of them I hate, but this one is a little different, this takes that techique to a new level. The detective, who has the patience and the expression of the Sphinx, lives with his mother on a depressing street of row houses. The girl next door fits that description in terms of geography only. Our hero goes about his daily routine of living and working with such measured intensity and slow deliberate action as to make it nearly painful, if not somewhat hypnotic to watch. This film may appeal to a certain type of person, but I must admit that I continued to watch it just to see if it would ever really get to the point or reveal what it was trying to hide. It never really does.

Rating:
Summary: For adults only
Review: This is one of those unusual films that despite its snail's pace is thoroughly gripping and, in two or three instances, shocking. The image of the raped child is disturbing, to say the least; and the sexuality is explicit. Why is this film so fascinating? It's about 2 hours and 20 minutes long, but I didn't want it to end. Once you see it, it's going to take a while to shake it off. It's so real and unpretentious that it's almost frightening. If you can stomach graphic nudity in closeup, and have the patience to sit through the first half hour, the rest is a psychological experience you won't soon forget. "Humanite" is what I would call the epitome of the "anti-Hollywood" style of filmmaking. Brilliant!

Rating:
Summary: Undeserving of any stars!
Review: This is the most boring film it has ever been my misfortune to endure. The film is over two hours of nothing. The actors are not allowed to act even though the story could have been most exciting and would have been in the hands of another director. This director is just plain awful--he makes his actors behave woodenly, and his camerawork is dull, dreary, and tedious. There is absolutely nothing to recommend this film. Why the Cannes film festival gave it all sorts of prizes is beyond comprehension and belief. Don't bother to rent it and most assuredly, don't buy it. Almost any other film is worth your time and money -- not this one.

Rating:
Summary: Stay Away from this movie
Review: This movie involves child-rape, and opens with a shot of multilated female genitalia. And to make matters worse, it is boring. Avoid at all costs.

Rating:
Summary: Stay Away from this movie
Review: This movie involves child-rape, and opens with a shot of multilated female genitalia. And to make matters worse, it is boring. Avoid at all costs.

Rating:
Summary: humanite missing
Review: This story of the murder of an 11 year old girl has all the elements, a horrible crime, the sullen, moody loner detective, the gray backdrop of northern france, conflicted sexual identity. The elements however were never really put together. The Detective broods more than detects. Is it because he is ground down by shock and tragedy, well we didn't find out. Speaking of shock, we did get quite a bit of that but one wondered if certain explicit scenes were put in for shock value alone. i.e fine acting or the Director acting out. The movie is not so disapointing that it should not be seen however. Serious fans of French cinema will want to see the film and think about what a great film it could have been.

Rating:
Summary: The view is not so fresh
Review: To Mr. Robert Amsel: I don't agree with you, there will be a lot of things can not be explained perfectly when we just follow your opinion. I think this is a really excellent movie and because the directer was excellent and believed himself is excellent, it looks a little too close(am I useing the right word?)so that it is a little boring, though just a little. As the movie's title( like most french directers, the directer was so honest even frank to his audience.), this is a movie talking about we so so complicated humanity.

Rating:
Summary: hypnotic and sad
Review: you have to approach this film like a prayer..its not something you can just sit down and watch expecting what the description says on the back