The movie is almost rescued by the wonderful 1930's style songs (written by Reinhardt Wanger and Frank Thomas) that populate its final act.
Paris 36(Faubourg 36)
France, Germany, Czech Republic · 2008
Rated PG-13 · 2h 0m
Director Christophe Barratier
Starring Gérard Jugnot, Clovis Cornillac, Kad Merad, Nora Arnezeder
Genre Drama
Add to Watchlist
Please login to add films to your watchlist.
A star is born in a time of both celebration and instability in this historical drama with music from director Christophe Barratier. In the spring of 1936, Paris is in a state of uncertainty; while the rise of the Third Reich in Germany worries many, a leftist union-oriented candidate, Léon Blum, has been voted into power, and organized labor is feeling its new power by standing up to management.
What are people saying?
What are critics saying?
The New York Times by A.O. Scott
So shameless in its pandering, sentimental vision of Frenchness as to constitute something of a national embarrassment.
New York Magazine (Vulture) by David Edelstein
Hopelessly amateurish, the troupe is saved by a remarkably pretty young blonde called Douce with a sweet soprano to match her angel face. The gifted, unknown actress-singer who plays her, Nora Arnezeder, also saves the movie, which would otherwise blur into a mass of droopy, mustached, big-honkered Gallic character actors.
Schematically scripted tale revels in its multiple story arcs, but shows signs of battle fatigue in the later reels.
New York Daily News by Elizabeth Weitzman
Barratier directs with a jaunty artifice more typically seen on stage, but with the exception of Arnezeder, his cast turns theatricality to its advantage. They're offering us a sunny fantasy during a cloudy time, and seem well aware that we're unlikely to resist.
The overstuffed film lumbers across clichés of the heart and of history until it reaches a big, tune-filled climax that isn't worth the wait.
Los Angeles Times by Kevin Thomas
Paris 36 has a beguilingly authentic sound and offers a blend of impassioned sentiment and harsh, even brutal grit
A gleaming hunk of French period schmaltz expertly rendered by director Christophe Barratier.
Village Voice by Melissa Anderson
Like Amélie's scrubbed-up "City of Lights," Paris 36 is an antiseptic arthouse trifle, so eager to soothe that it only numbs.
Entertainment Weekly by Owen Gleiberman
It's like a pastry that's been sitting on the shelf for 60 years.
Users who liked this film also liked
Two Brothers
(Deux Frères)
Twin tigers are separated from each other as cubs until fate brings them back together.
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- France, United Kingdom • 2004
- Director Jean-Jacques Annaud
- Cast Guy Pearce, Jean-Claude Dreyfus, Freddie Highmore, Oanh Nguyen, Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu, Moussa Maaskri
- Genre Adventure, Drama, Family
- Available on Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Vudu, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, YouTube
The Chorus
(Les Choristes)
A new teacher at a school for disruptive boys gives hope and inspiration in postwar France.
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- France, Switzerland, Germany • 2004
- Director Christophe Barratier
- Cast Gérard Jugnot, François Berléand, Kad Merad, Jean-Paul Bonnaire, Marie Bunel, Jean-Baptiste Maunier
- Genre Drama
- Available on No streaming locations found.
The Wave
(Die Welle)
A high school teacher's unorthodox lesson on autocracy spirals out of control and causes students to turn against one another.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Germany, France • 2008
- Director Dennis Gansel
- Cast Jürgen Vogel, Frederick Lau, Max Riemelt, Jennifer Ulrich, Christiane Paul, Elyas M'Barek
- Genre Drama, Thriller
- Available on Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Amazon Video, YouTube, The Roku Channel
Welcome to the Sticks
(Bienvenue chez les ch'tis)
After being banished to Northern France, public servant Phillipe struggles to live in the foreign and unfamiliar town of Bergues.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- France • 2008
- Director Dany Boon
- Cast Kad Merad, Dany Boon, Zoé Félix, Lorenzo Ausilia-Foret, Anne Marivin, Philippe Duquesne
- Genre Comedy, Drama, Romance
- Available on Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Vudu, Amazon Video, YouTube, Tubi TV, VUDU Free, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Kanopy, Plex
The Chaser
(추격자)
An ex-detective turned pimp hunts a dangerous killer.
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- Korea • 2008
- Director Na Hong-jin
- Cast Kim Yoon-seok, Ha Jung-woo, Seo Young-hee, Kim Yoo-jung, Jung In-gi, Park Hyo-joo
- Genre Crime, Drama, Thriller
- Available on AMC+, AMC+ Amazon Channel, IFC Films Unlimited Apple TV Channel, Google Play Movies, YouTube
The Tiger Brigades
(Les Brigades du Tigre)
Paris. 1912. If you thought it was "La Belle Epoque"....Think again.
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- France • 2006
- Director Jérôme Cornuau
- Cast Clovis Cornillac, Diane Kruger, Edouard Baer, Olivier Gourmet, Thierry Frémont, Jacques Gamblin
- Genre Action, Adventure, Crime
- Available on Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Amazon Video, YouTube
I Do
(Prête-moi ta main)
- ✭
- France • 2006
- Director Eric Lartigau
- Cast Alain Chabat, Bernadette Lafont, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Wladimir Yordanoff, Louise Monot, Katia Lewkowicz
- Genre Comedy, Romance
- Available on No streaming locations found.
Medea
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Denmark • 1988
- Director Lars von Trier
- Cast Udo Kier, Kirsten Olesen, Henning Jensen, Solbjørg Højfeldt, Preben Lerdorff Rye, Baard Owe
- Genre Drama
- Available on No streaming locations found.
War of the Buttons
(La Nouvelle Guerre des boutons)
- ✭ ✭
- France • 2011
- Director Christophe Barratier
- Cast Jean Texier, Clément Godefroy, Théophile Baquet, Louis Dussol, Harold Werner, Nathan Parent
- Genre Adventure, Family
- Available on Hoopla, Google Play Movies, Amazon Video, YouTube, AMC on Demand, Freevee
Babysitting
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- France • 2014
- Director Nicolas Benamou, Philippe Lacheau
- Cast Philippe Lacheau, Alice David, Vincent Desagnat, Tarek Boudali, Julien Arruti, Grégoire Ludig
- Genre Comedy
- Available on No streaming locations found.
Pan
Every legend has a beginning.
- ✭ ✭
- United States, United Kingdom, Australia • 2015
- Director Joe Wright
- Cast Levi Miller, Garrett Hedlund, Hugh Jackman, Amanda Seyfried, Rooney Mara, Nonso Anozie
- Genre Fantasy, Adventure, Family, Action
- Available on Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Vudu, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, YouTube, Spectrum On Demand, AMC on Demand
Nicholas on Holiday
(Les Vacances du Petit Nicolas)
Once the long-awaited summer vacation has arrived, Little Nicolas and his family set out for the seaside.
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- France • 2014
- Director Laurent Tirard
- Cast Valérie Lemercier, Kad Merad, Daniel Prévost, François Damiens, Francis Perrin, François-Xavier Demaison
- Genre Family, Comedy
- Available on Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Vudu, Amazon Video, YouTube, Tubi TV, VUDU Free, Kanopy, Plex
10x10
(10 x 10)
There are some secrets we cannot escape
- United Kingdom • 2018
- Director Suzi Ewing
- Cast Luke Evans, Kelly Reilly, Noel Clarke, Olivia Chenery, Jason Maza, Jill Winternitz
- Genre Thriller
- Available on Amazon Prime Video, Peacock, Starz Apple TV Channel, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Vudu, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, YouTube, Tubi TV, The Roku Channel, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
Mr. Know-It-All
(Monsieur je-sais-tout)
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- France • 2018
- Director François Prévôt-Leygonie, Stéphan Archinard
- Cast Arnaud Ducret, Alice David, Max Baissette de Malglaive, Jean-François Cayrey, Caroline Silhol, Féodor Atkine
- Genre Comedy, Drama
- Available on No streaming locations found.
Calamity
(Calamity, une enfance de Martha Jane Cannary)
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- France, Denmark • 2020
- Director Rémi Chayé
- Cast Salomé Boulven, Alexandra Lamy, Alexis Tomassian, Jochen Hägele, Léonard Louf, Santiago Barban
- Genre Adventure, Animation, Comedy, Drama, Family, Western
- Available on Film Movement Plus
The Night Doctor
(Médecin de nuit)
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- France • 2021
- Director Elie Wajeman
- Cast Vincent Macaigne, Pio Marmaï, Sara Giraudeau, Sarah Le Picard, Florence Janas
- Genre Drama
- Available on No streaming locations found.