Mathieu Amalric, Emmanuelle Seigner, Marie-Josée Croze, Anne Consigny, Patrick Chesnais ...( see more  see more... ) , Max von Sydow

"The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" is the remarkable true story of Jean-Dominique Bauby, a successful and charismatic editor-in-chief of FrenchElle, who believes he is living his life to its absolute...( read more  read more... ) fullest when a sudden stroke leaves him in a life-altered state. While the physical challenges of Bauby's fate leave him with little hope for the future, he begins to discover how his life's passions, his rich memories and his newfound imagination can help him achieve a life without boundaries.

Flixster Users

91% liked it

140,250 ratings

Critics

93% liked it

151 critics

PG-13, 1 hr. 52 min.

Directed by: Julian Schnabel

Release Date: November 30, 2007

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DVD Release Date: April 29, 2008

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Stats: 8,758 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (8,758)


  • December 26, 2009
    ''I decided to stop pitying myself. Other than my eye, two things aren't paralyzed, my imagination and my memory.''


    The true story of Elle editor Jean-Dominique Bauby who suffers a stroke and has to live with an almost totally paralyzed body; only his left ey...( read more)e isn't paralyzed.

    Mathieu Amalric: Jean-Dominique 'Jean-Do' Bauby

    Emmanuelle Seigner: Céline Desmoulins

    Diving Bell/Butterfly is a true Story and evidence that truth can be more astounding than any fiction can.
    Tells the tale of Jean-Dominique Bauby who tragically becomes immobilized apart from his left eye.


    For the duration of Diving Bell we mostly see what Jean-Do sees through his eye, from his perception and perspective of the world.
    We the audience begin to realize and ascertain how trapped and confined he is as the Story continues. Imagery to convey this includes him in an Underwater restricted Suit that shows how his body has become ultimately his prison yet his imagination and memory his escape and freedom from a relentless nightmare.

    Diving Bell made me think on a personal level, made me think that I've been guilty of taking life for granted and not realizing the greatness and vastness of things I have and possess. Seeing this man disabled and helpless in his hardship and his immoblilized state is incredible due to the fact he writes a whole book using his eye to convey it all through letters using blinks. Once for yes, Twice for no to confirm the letters said.

    Flashbacks also shed light on Jean-Do's life prior to the accident/stroke. This was powerful stuff for me. A scene in Diving Bell between Jean-Do and his Father played by Max Von Sydow is truly tear inducingly heart wrenching. I had to hide my face in the Cinema due to the fact I don't like people to see me cry. Diving Bell on a personal level is like a dream and this book this man creates is his voice crying out from this living nightmare.

    Alot to learn to from it's imaginative play on history and dreamy depths of Jean-Do's mind to it's realistic desperation of a man fighting to stay alive. A Sunday described as a desert due to it's lack of company is so clever or the ''We're all children, we all need approval.'' is a life's lesson in effect genius.

    Le Scaphandre et le Papillon in a effect a Masterpiece, beautiful.

    The Diving Bell and the Butterfly is one reason I love films and reading.
    One man's struggle so wonderfully caught and shown.

    ''A poet once said, Only a fool laughs when nothing's funny.
  • October 22, 2009
    I have a soft spot for inspirational true stories, especially ones with meaningful dialog between fathers and sons. A terrific story of reflection, regret and reconciliation.
  • September 30, 2009
    The diving bell and the butterfly is one of my favourite books so I was really concerned when I heard that they were making it into a film. My concerns soon disappeared within the first few minutes, the brilliant use of first person camera really set the scene and tone and gave a...( read more)n insight to what it was like, albeit visually but that was Schnabel has done. It?s not really a book that can be adapted in the classic way, this film needed much more care and that?s exactly what it received. An extraordinary book, visualised into an extraordinary film. This film has jumped straight into my top 10 favourite films of all time. Read the book first though!!
  • May 20, 2009
    Fascinating story that makes you want to go do stuff before all you can move is your eyelid. It was hard to look at his creepy broken vein eyeball, but well worth it.
  • April 3, 2009
    Surprisingly excellent film about a man who suffers a sudden stroke and decides, during rehabilitation to "write" a book about his life with the help of his speech therapist. All this despite being paralyzed, mute and blind in one eye. It goes back-and-forth between his rehab and...( read more) his own life and the best parts of this movie are his thoughts about what's going on. Fucking hysterical.
  • February 1, 2010
    Wow, this film was really powerful and inspirational. Though it was hard to sit through at some points, I still love it a lot and would recommend it to anyone.
  • January 18, 2010
    Note to self: must watch!!!
  • January 10, 2010
    The story is moving and the acting great, but altogether the film is nothing more than average. Why I couldn't tell, it just didn't make me feel I want to watch it again soon.
  • January 6, 2010
    good movie and pretty moving, but I have a feeling I would have enjoyed it more if it did not drag on at times.
  • January 6, 2010
    Daqueles filmes que te trucidam a vida.

Critic Reviews


December 26, 2007
Amy Biancolli, Houston Chronicle

A film that haunts and inspires. full review

December 21, 2007
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

Here is the life force at its most insistent, lashing out against fate with stubborn resolve. And also with lust, hunger, humor and all of the other notes that this man once played so easily. full review

December 2, 2007
Marcy Dermansky, About.com

After I recovered from my initial horror, I was almost able to enjoy the experience of watching this discomfiting, entirely unique narrative. full review

December 1, 2007
Stephanie Zacharek, Salon.com

The picture is so beautiful to look at that it's practically buoyant. full review

November 30, 2007
Claudia Puig, USA Today

An inspiring tale of one man's triumph over adversity often devolves into a cinematic cliché, more earnest than truly moving. Thankfully, Diving Bell avoids those pitfalls. full review

November 30, 2007
A.O. Scott, The New York Times

With The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, Julian Schnabel demonstrates his own imaginative freedom in every frame and sequence.

November 30, 2007
Pete Hammond, Maxim

Tough to watch? Sure. Worth it? Absolutely. Perhaps the most inspiring film in many years. full review

November 28, 2007
Armond White, The New York Press

Tells a real person's life story so inventively you might forget how rotten recent biopics have been. full review

November 28, 2007
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

[Director Schnabel's] best film yet, a high-wire act of visual daring and unquenchable spirit. full review

November 26, 2007
David Edelstein, New York Magazine

The film is a masterpiece in which "locked-in" syndrome becomes the human condition. full review

View more Le Scaphandre et le Papillon (The Diving Bell and the Butterfly) reviews at RottenTomatoes.com

Comments


  • rbevanx
    June 8, 2008
    Fantastic film. Straight into my top ten of all time.
  • frenchiie
    December 2, 2007
    Il fait froid! I wanna see it-it's French!!!! wooh! ;)

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