Moliere Reviews

A new take at French writer's life

French Director Tirard looks at Moliere's life from a new angle. Humor (Luchini is very funny), drama and love make it worth watching. The costumes and French villages in this film are breathtaking.

Moliere - zut alors!

Can't say I enjoyed this one too much. If you don't speak fluent French, it's probably not worth bothering with as the English subtitles are woefully inadequate. My French was good enough (just) to know just how much was being left out. The subtitles will often give you the first half of a sentence and then leave you hanging for the rest of the..... Didn't even finish watching the film because I just couldn't follow it.

Very funny

The film is subtitled but that shouldn't spoil your enjoyment though you will get more out of the subtle humour if you understand the French. In many ways it reminded me of Shakespeare in Love: the fictionalised story of a famous writer told using the stories he wrote himself. There is some brilliant verbal and physical humour in the film ... and was it just my imagination or does 'Moliere' look like a cross between Charlie Chaplin and Russel Brand? Excellent film. Highly recommended.

[Highly rated reviewer]

A man of Integrity

A witty and funny tale that has an intricate and intelligent storyline with a moving ending.

[Highly rated reviewer]

A pleasant surprise.

I guess you would call this a French, period, romantic comedy.

As others have noted, it is a fictionalised tale of an unknown period in the life of Moliere and uses one of his plays to suggest what may have happened to him in that 'gap period'.

It is beautifully shot, wonderfully cast and both amusing yet heart tugging.

'Shakespeare in Love' does come to mind. However, it is a somewhat more mannered piece. However, if you liked that and can handle subtitles (or speak French), then I am sure you'll like this.

Perhaps its greatest praise is that it made we want to know more of Moliere's work.

An excellent evening

A story within a story. You need your wits about you to fully enjoy this story. My advise is to watch the extra portion on how the film was made. That aids understanding and appreciation. Well acted with great scenery, but a bit too clean for the period. Well worth staying in for.

The other side of Moliere

Very good film, but I agree that to appreciate the french flair 'je ne sais quoi' you will need to brush off your french. The subtitles do not do any justice to the original dialogue. Worth watching twice if you have missed something.

[Highly rated reviewer]

Grotesque rubbish

If this were a Bollywood film it would be rightly ridiculed for its pathetically inept and blatantly ignorant awareness of historic context. I particularly relished the rococo furniture 100 years in advance of its time, sort of like having 1950s furniture in a film set in Victorian times.

But, sadly, the Merchant-Ivory/Barbara Cartland brigade will just love this sub-Dumas nonsense with all its ong-hong-hee-hong local colour.

Frankly, it's beyond embarrassing, and how someone like Romain Duris could have consented to be involved with this level of tosh is beyond me.

Even as a joke it's only marginally tolerable. DO NOT BOTHER.

[Highly rated reviewer]

Delightful

I found it very amusing, superficial but fun all the same...

[Highly rated reviewer]

Dark Horse

Liked this one. Unusual film, well acted. Kept you guessing with clever writing. Didn't even mind the end.