Jésus de Montréal (Jesus of Montreal) (1989)
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79% of critics liked it
(14 reviews) -
85% of users liked it
(5,292 ratings)
A modern-day Passion Play becomes a reenactment of the life and death of Jesus Christ in more ways than one with this critically acclaimed drama from Quebec filmmaker Denys Arcand. Lothaire Bluteau stars as Daniel Coloumbe, an intense young actor in Montreal who is hired by church fathers to restage… More A modern-day Passion Play becomes a reenactment of the life and death of Jesus Christ in more ways than one with this critically acclaimed drama from Quebec filmmaker Denys Arcand. Lothaire Bluteau stars as Daniel Coloumbe, an intense young actor in Montreal who is hired by church fathers to restage and update the city's annual Passion Play, which over the course of the past 40 years has begun to seem hidebound. Daniel hires a group of struggling young actors that become devoted to him and his creative vision as he devises an extremely avant-garde production that takes Christ's rebellious teachings literally. Revolving around set pieces reflecting passages from Christ's life rather than a traditional re-creation of events, Daniel's revisionist work also incorporates blasphemous ideas about his subject, questioning his true nature. Daniel's play is a critical smash and wows mesmerized audiences, but greatly disturbed church officials order the labor of love dismantled. Real life begins imitating biblical events as the actors become cast-outs and Daniel smashes up an audition in which the actress portraying his Mary Magdalene (Catherine Wilkening) is asked to disrobe by a prurient producer. ~ Karl Williams, Rovi
- Directed By
- Denys Arcand
- Written By
- Denys Arcand
- Genres
- Art House & International, Drama
- In Theaters
- May 17, 1989 Wide
- On DVD
- Feb 3, 2004
- Studio
- Orion Classics
Critic Reviews
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Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
Denys Arcand made this original movie, in which life imitates art, at the peak of his career, right after Decline of the American Empire.
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Jake Euker, Filmcritic.com
Bluteau has taken his Daniel too seriously, Daniel has taken his Jesus too seriously, and Arcand’s resolute detachment brings the whole conception down.
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Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality and Practice
Inventive, witty, illuminating: about a contemporary staging of the Passion play, the institutional church's reverence for the status quo, & the false gods of secularism.
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Cast
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Lothaire Bluteau
as Daniel Coloumbe
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Catherine Wilkening
as Mireille
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Johanne-Marie Tremblay
as Constance
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Rémy Girard
as Martin
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Robert Lepage
as Rene
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Gilles Pelletier
as Father Leclerc
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Denys Arcand
as The Judge
- Paule Baillargeon
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Marie-Christine Barrault
as Dubbing actress
- Boris Bergman
- Roy Dupuis
- Ron Lea
- Gaston Lepage
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Judith Magre
as Dubbing actress
- Tom Rack
- Marcel Sabourin
- Isabelle Truchon
- Paul Tana
- Andree Lachapelle
- Anna-Maria Giannotti
- Jean-Louis Millette
- Marc Messier
- Denis Bouchard
- Monique Miller
- Cedric Noel
- Lea Marie Cantin
- Susan Bain
- Sylvie Drapeau
- Dean Hagopian
- Michael Barnard
- Pauline Martin
