Joyeux Noel Reviews

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This is a look at the effect of the coming of the First World War from the perspective of soldiers on the French, German and Scottish sides and the famous events of the 1914 Christmas armistice.

While the film features some strong performances, particularly from Guillaume Canet and Daniel Bruhl and there is some impressive cinematography, I found this film to be a touch heavy-handed in its approach, weighed down by some poor dialogue in places. This film also features some of the worse lip-synching you will ever see on screen from Diane Kruger and Benno Fuhrmann.

Despite its flaws, Joyeux Noel is touching, particularly in the way it shows the camaraderie between the different armies' soldiers. Solid but not great.

If you liked this, I would also recommend A Very Long Engagement.

[Highly rated reviewer]

Peaked too soon

Joyeux Noel was a well-shot, mostly well-acted film whose writers simply allowed their story to peak too soon. The run-up to the trenches and the camraderie built on each side was nicely executed; the tension immediately preceding the truce was palpable amidst the confusion and second-guessing of what sneaky tricks 'the other side' might be planning. The irony of the common threads - each force celebrating the day with the same songs; French, German, and Scottish troops all reciting the Latin mass - was touching as combatants realized they shared more in common that they had differences that separated them. Unfortunately this synopsis only brings you 2/3 of the way through the movie. In the remaining 1/3 the writers seemed at a loss to bring closure to the story. The script clumsily stumbles to a close with endings to individual threads that largely seemed to aim for a feel-good 'Hollywood' ending, rather than making a far more powerful statement about the insanity of war, and the possibilities when combatants see themselves in the face of their enemy. All said, JN is a very worthwhile movie.

Sentimental

And a bit anti-English too, in my opinion. The movie starts with a poem spoken by a German boy about killing the English. But the British in this movie are represented by a unit of Scotsmen. The only two Englishmen in the entire film are frothing at the mouth war-mongerers. You'd almost get the impression it was the English who forced the war upon the poor French, German and Scottish soldiers represented in this film.

The film was shot well, but far too simplistic and sentimental. I have recently read a couple of WW1 books, both written testimonies by the soldiers who fought in the war. There is not a single sentimental word in there. The soldiers who fought this war were not sentimental about it - they had to be practical, they had to live in mysery and witness carnage every day.

The reality of the harshness of trench warfare and army life at this period is not protrayed.

True class

A human, harrowing and enlightening film about ordinary men involved in the extraordinary situation of war. There aren't many decent films about the first World War, but this one - based on the true story of a famous truce/football match between allies and Germans - is worth its weight in gold. Well researched, beautifully directed, perfectly paced, the acting is superb and very believable. Has you gripped from the start. Hats off to the cinematographer for capturing all the colours of the war and the atmosphere of the trenches and to the composer for a very moving score. Christian Carion, the director, cleverly frames the absurdity of war and the humanity of the men. It is often written in reviews, but this truly is a must-see film.

joyeux noel

this was a good film but found it very irritating to keep having to read subtitles

Superb even if some of the cracks are obvious

War is hell as well as futile - how many films try to cover this ground ?. Whilst countless movies tread this subject little can be based on historical fact. This is a beautifully touching film based on the true events that occurred in the first Xmas of WW1. Full of pathos, humour and solid acting Joyeux Noel encaptues the very spirit of what it is to be human and the fact that war is fought by ordinary patriotic men doing the bidding of the politicians. The cracks in the film are the obvious miming by Benno Fürmann and Diane Kruger and the small sets. Regardless this is a superb film about brotherly love and friendship.

First Class

A beautifully constructed film, it told the tale of a Christmas truce on the Western front in a novel way and raised the background issues in a thought provoking manner. A worthy member of the 'All Quiet.on the Western Front' gendre of War film - very appropriate at the moment.

AVOID

FRENCH GERMAN LITTLE ENGLISH DID NOT GRAB ME

Hard to believe but (almost entirely) true

I researched this topic at length for a School assembly and can confirm that almost all of it really did happen. The only bits I was unhappy with were the presence of the female love interest at all, and certainly to have her present at the front line seemed dodgy. Other than that, there really was an opera singer in the trenches who broke the ice in one section by singing and carrying a tree into no mans land. Overall then, not very deep characters but a great topic and moving nonetheless.

True class

A human, harrowing and enlightening film about ordinary men involved in the extraordinary situation of war. There aren't many decent films about the first World War, but this one - based on the true story of a famous truce/football match between allies and Germans - is worth its weight in gold. Well researched, beautifully directed, perfectly paced, the acting is superb and very believable. Has you gripped from the start. Hats off to the cinematographer for capturing all the colours of the war and the atmosphere of the trenches and to the composer for a very moving score. Christian Carion, the director, cleverly frames the absurdity of war and the humanity of the men. It is often written in reviews, but this truly is a must-see film.