Reviews

Being French, I saw this film at its release. I had no idea about what I might find except that Juliette Binoche was in it. I went there alone. I came out in a crowd.

Romanticism isn't what we think it is. This story IS romantic, not because it's a love story, but because it's a Romantics's story. George Sand and Alfred de Musset were two of our greatest writers. Their works were full of hope, of despair, of melancholy and bitterness. They were revolutionaries. This film is all about the atmosphere of that time, all about the fights and ambitions of these young writers who wanted to change the world and find an unclear future.

This film is one of the few that changed my life, not because of the way it was filmed, or the performance of the actors (though they were absolutely fabulous and I'm looking forward to their next films), it changed my perception of life, made me read some Romantic works (by Sand, Musset, Hugo, Lamartine,... and that's only for the French ones) where I found a "translation" of what I feel when I look to the world in front of me.

That's what this film is all about. It's not a film about a past true story, it's about all of us, everyday.

I used to watch this film when I was little. My sister and I actually destroyed the tape because of two much use. Some may say that it's only for children, but it's also an obvious and delightful allegory of the two World Wars. Of course, if you're not fluent in French, it doesn't really worth watching it, because everything is in the lines. It's a wonderful tribute to French people, French countryside life, French nation in general. The children are giving great performances, being touching, cute and above all realistic!!! Just watch it and enjoy! Vive la France!