Rating: 
Summary: A French version of Lolita.
Review: A two-bit bar pianist (Patrick Dewaere's role as Remy) is married to a woman with a 14 year old daughter. (Hence "beau pere," the french word for stepfather, but also meaning "handsome father.") The woman is killed in a car accident, and he must raise his stepdaughter alone. She falls in love with him, and they have a secret affair. (Nobody can do "pubescent love affair" movies quite like the French. They are the unchallenged masters of this particular genre.)If you can ignore the "eww factor" of a 35 year old man having an affair with a 14 year old girl (or perhaps more accurately "the Woody Allen factor"), this is really a wonderful movie. One of the best I've ever seen, and one of my all time favorites. It is beautifully shot, wonderfully edited, has great timing, and one of the best piano sound tracks ever written. The soundtrack, composed exclusively for the movie by Philippe Sarde, is available from ... on CD. (I'm listening to it right now, in fact. One of the compositions, "Une Vraie Virtuose," is a masterpiece which could rival anything ever written for the piano!) The movie is basically a touching, top-notch romantic comedy with overtones of tradgedy in it. The biggest tradgedy, which runs throughout the movie, is that their love affair is something to be ashamed of. Marion (Ariel Besse) is remarkably mature for a 14 year old, and Remy is somewhat immature for his age. So the two are well ballanced, and probably have the same mental and emotional age. Nevertheless, it is still the story of a 35 year old man having a romantic affair with his 14 year old stepdaughter, and such an affair cannot have a happy ending. It can only exhist for the moment, but not for the future. But then again, that is the attraction of affairs, isn't it? They are only for the present, with no worries about, or aspirations for the future. There is one wonderful scene in the movie where Remy goes to visit Charlotte (Nathalie Baye), a piano virtuoso, and the woman of his dreams. This scene is one of the most wonderfully choreographed and timed things I've ever seen on the big screen. Again, if you can ignore your natural reservations about the premise of the movie, and just enjoy it as a brilliant romantic comedy, I highly recommend it.
Rating: 
Summary: Beau Pere
Review: After the sudden death of his wife, Remy (Patrick Dewaere), is forced to take care of his 14-year-old stepdaughter (Ariel Besse) who, unbeknownst to him, has fallen in love with him. Ariel does a very nice acting job and is very pretty, but the nude scenes are lacking in both quantity and content. There is no frontal nudity of her and you get only a glimpse of her backside when walking to her room and also when sitting on the bed. I know that you not need nudity or sexual situations to tell a story but after seeing Ariel the movie leaves you wanting more.
Rating: 
Summary: Interesting, but odd movie
Review: BEAU PERE (Step-Father): I purchased this DVD due to its recommendation following my past purchase of Penthouse's "Caligula (Unrated version)". At first, I was a bit uneasy about viewing this movie due to its taboo subject matter, however, I'm now glad I ignored the ranting of the hysterics who claim this movie to be merely another pedophile flick. And, overall, I honor the fact this movie was rated a complete 4 of 4 stars (top score) by the Video Movie Guide. Despite the bizarre nature of this film, the storyline of "Beau Pere" seemed very well-written and interesting to follow. Watching the characters (especially Marion & Remy) work through their situation(s) kept me pined to my tv screen, the way one would be enthralled by a good book they just couldn't put down. I found myself forever anticipating the next scene just to see what would prevail (Will they get caught? What will be the final outcome for this couple; Will Remy abandon Marion or persue his new love-interest?). The ending to this movie just may surprise you. And not to mention, the closing scene will definitely leave you with profound curiosity. PROS: (1): Good Storyline = flows steadily and sensibly, as in accordance to the theme of the movie. (2): Good casting = the portrayal of the characters by the actors/actresses was very convincing. Actually, at times, almost too convincing. Sometimes I wondered "Are they really acting (Patrick Dewaere [Remy] & Ariel Besse [Marion]), or do they really love each other?" (3): Props/Scenery/etc. = Though lacking the sophistication of modern cinema to date, the props/scenery/wardrobes seem appropriate for this film's rendition, and thus give the viewer a feel of the time-period/setting the characters are in, making for an enjoyable program. ----------------- CONS: I only have two complaints, really -- (1): Though the picture clarity (& sound quality) of this DVD is very good, the widescreen format, to me, seemed a bit too wide: more narrow than the average widescreen formated films I've seen. (2): In a few places, the English subtitle captions are out of synchronization with the actors who are speaking at the time. But other than that, the DVD plays well and is enjoyable. Despite the cons, I still recommend Beau Pere for anyone with an interest in cinema/theater...or just want an interesting, odd movie for a rainy day.
Rating:
Summary: Beau Pere
Review: BEAU-PERE (Stepfather) is a beautifully woven story of love that just happens to touch on the aspect of an older man falling in love with a fourteen year old girl - and his step-daughter at that! Remi (Patrick Dewaere) is a salon piano player, narrating how lonely is that life, that it keeps him apart from his fashion model wife Martine(Nicole Garcia). The superimposed distance of their careers leads them to the brink of separation when suddenly Martine is killed in an auto accident. This leaves the Remi to care for his 14 year old stepdaughter Marion (a radiant Ariel Besse). She wants to continues living with Remi instead of her biologic father who is an alcoholic and cold man. In the end Marion admits her love for Remi, lives with him as a lover, and eventually grows into the streams that life unfolds: Remi evetually falls in love with a painist his own age and Marion accepts here real father as the one who is more needy of her afection. Though the term "pedophilia" could be applied here, it is so gently and sophistcated captured that it seems as natural as Remi and Marion feel. The cast (including the the stil lovely Nathalie Baye) is uniformly excellent and Bertrand Blier has created a timeless movie that bears repeated watching.
Rating:
Summary: A Brave Film, not only for 1981, but even for 2003
Review: BEAU-PERE (Stepfather) is a beautifully woven story of love that just happens to touch on the aspect of an older man falling in love with a fourteen year old girl - and his step-daughter at that! Remi (Patrick Dewaere) is a salon piano player, narrating how lonely is that life, that it keeps him apart from his fashion model wife Martine(Nicole Garcia). The superimposed distance of their careers leads them to the brink of separation when suddenly Martine is killed in an auto accident. This leaves the Remi to care for his 14 year old stepdaughter Marion (a radiant Ariel Besse). She wants to continues living with Remi instead of her biologic father who is an alcoholic and cold man. In the end Marion admits her love for Remi, lives with him as a lover, and eventually grows into the streams that life unfolds: Remi evetually falls in love with a painist his own age and Marion accepts here real father as the one who is more needy of her afection. Though the term "pedophilia" could be applied here, it is so gently and sophistcated captured that it seems as natural as Remi and Marion feel. The cast (including the the stil lovely Nathalie Baye) is uniformly excellent and Bertrand Blier has created a timeless movie that bears repeated watching.
Rating:
Summary: A little slow
Review: Nicely shot, beautiful images, story is a little lacking, and it moves like a snail in winter. Good for a long cold winter night.
Rating:
Summary: not just another paedophile movie
Review: Remi, a struggling pianist, loses his wife in a car accident and becomes the caretaker of his 14 year old step daughter (Marion). After much willful insistence, he succombs to the girl's sexual advances: this is the premise of Bertrand Blier's 1981 film "Beau Pere." The film is often rather farcical in its transitions from one scene to the next and the reflective pauses in the narrative during which characters speak directly to the camera are comical. Remi's moral crisis is the focus of "Beau Pere" - can he ethically make love to a 14 year old girl? Overall, the film is quite watchable and could not have been made in the United States. Ariel Besse is lovely as Marion - unlike so many portrayals of teenage girls she is neither frivolous nor characterized as jailbait. Patrick Deweare plays the step father in turns tender, pathetic, passionate and cruel. Though flawed and at times disappointing, "Beau Pere" is still the most sensitive treatment of this subject matter I've seen to date. I would like to add, however, that this is not, as the video description indicates, a "study of pedophila." Remi's sexual orientation is not generally directed at children - his affair with Marion emerges out of very specific circumstances.
Rating:
Summary: Good film, but poor DVD subtitling
Review: THE FILM: It's a shame that a lot of people won't get to see this french movie. For some it will be the ignorance of watching a foreign language film, but for others there's also the highly taboo subject matter; this alone will stop many viewers from going anywhere near it on account of their principals. As I said, it's a shame as it's a very good film and the subject matter is delicately handled throughout. The biggest difference to this particular lolita-type film is that it's the young girl that seduces the older man, and not vice versa. Patrick Dewaere is good as the older man, but it's the scintillating performance of Ariel Besse as the beautiful young girl that stands out. Showing a maturity way beyond her years, you start to empathize with Patrick's character and the moral dilemmas he has to contend with. THE DVD; Unfortunately, Beau Pere has been given a somewhat poor DVD release. Don't expect any extras; the picture quality is ok, but not great; and you can't even get a time display up to see where you are in the movie!; However, it's the poor subtitling that disappoints the most. As many have already pointed-out, the subtitles go out of synch for about 20 minutes or so during the movie, which makes matters a little confusing. Not only that, but occasionally subtitles will flash-up on the screen very briefly, not even giving you time to read them!. Several times I had to "rewind" the picture, and then pause the DVD so I could read it!. Whilst I don't regret buying the DVD of Beau Pere, this poor subtitling will put me off watching this movie as many times as I would of done otherwise. Very good film, but fans of Beau Pere demand a new DVD release now!!!.
Rating:
Summary: Same old story great film
Review: The same lolita theme of inevitably flawed and sure to fail love. However the story is powerfully and convincingfully told. For those looking for nudity buy a Naturist DVD ...-- For those looking for a cinematic portrayal of a gripping but sad story this film will please. The DVD version of this title is no better than the VHS version.
Rating: 
Summary: As erotic as apple pie....
Review: The technical flaws were described in other reviews - so I won't repeat it. Enough to say the 20 minutes where the sub-titles are not alligned with the french soundtrack (and I do not understand french) is really a pitty. The movie itself is very good, on a controvertial topic - but it is handled with masterful and loving hands, so it is interesting till the end (which is the weakest part of the movie).
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