Love Me If You Dare (Jeux d'enfants) (2003)

44% of critics liked it
(78 reviews)
89% of users liked it
(40,537 ratings)

Part romantic comedy and part black comedy, director Yann Samuell's 2003 feature film debut Jeux d'Enfants (Love Me if You Dare) follows the exploits of two young would-be lovers as they go from childhood to adulthood with themselves as the greatest hurdle to their own happiness. Julien and Sophie… More Part romantic comedy and part black comedy, director Yann Samuell's 2003 feature film debut Jeux d'Enfants (Love Me if You Dare) follows the exploits of two young would-be lovers as they go from childhood to adulthood with themselves as the greatest hurdle to their own happiness. Julien and Sophie first meet at the age of eight when both are undergoing great trauma: Julien is watching his mother die and Sophie has become the focus of intense hazing at the hands of some fellow schoolmates. On one fateful day, Julien decides to stick up for Sophie and pulls a practical joke on her tormentors. Henceforth, the two embark on a close friendship that revolves around daring each other to pull increasingly audacious practical jokes, rather than on the seemingly obvious intimate relationship they seem dangerously close to discovering at any moment. Jeux d'Enfants was selected for inclusion into the 2003 Toronto International Film Festival as well as that same year's Telluride International Film Festival. ~ Ryan Shriver, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 35 min.
Directed By: Yann Samuell
Written By: Yann Samuell, Jacky Cukier
Genres: Drama, Romance, Art House & International, Comedy

In Theaters: May 21, 2004 Limited
On DVD: Oct 19, 2004
Studio: Paramount Classics

Critic Reviews

Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel
Love Me If You Dare is far from everybody's cup of latte, but for those willing to take that dare, it has plenty to chew on.
Bill Muller, Arizona Republic
Melds the magic of childhood memories with the pain of unrequited love.
Joe Baltake, Sacramento Bee
The kind of precious whimsy that you want to squash.
Eleanor Ringel Gillespie, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
There's an outlaw fascination in watching two people for whom going too far is never far enough.
Tom Long, Detroit News
The problem is, the characters eventually start to seem like a couple of idiots.
Philip Wuntch, Dallas Morning News
The elegantly photographed, unconventional French romance was apparently intended as a valentine to individual liberation. If so, rarely has the line between individual liberation and selfish irresponsibility seemed so blurry.
Andrew Wright, The Stranger (Seattle, WA)
It twinkles itself right into a rubber room.
Ed Gonzalez, Slant Magazine
Put this one in your "DVDs To Snort Coke Off Of" pile.
Ed Gonzalez, Slant Magazine
For his feature film debut, director Yann Samuell mainlines into Amelie for inspiration but can scarcely muster a contact high.
Rich Cline, Shadows on the Wall
Has a gimmicky, inventive style like Amelie, but the comedy has a very nasty edge.
Moira MacDonald, Seattle Times
Movie characters don't have to be nice, but they do need to be interesting. Nastiness without intrigue translates, in whatever language, to 'annoying.'
Gianni Truzzi, Seattle Post-Intelligencer
The dreamlike amber washes and comic visual asides stress the otherness of the pair's reality, but seem to offer a limp excuse for their deluded exemption from empathy.
David Nusair, Reel Film Reviews
Love Me If You Dare presents a...cynical and often downright cruel perspective on relationships, though the film's bubbly look keeps it from becoming too dark.
Nick Dawson, Empire Magazine
Samuell's naivety and inexperience lead to this being an uncomfortable, if intriguing, mess.
Rex Roberts, Film Journal International
Entertaining and appalling at once, an exercise in aesthetics that replaces the traditional unities with paradox, irony and cynicism.

Read all 15 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Jan Marc M

Juvenile and selfish, Love Me If You Dare dares to entertain in an appalling manner depicting an affair adulterated by irrationality, irresponsibility, and immaturity. Inspired by Amélie in cinematic behavior and approach, Love Me If You Dare is an intriguing confusion communicating… More
Juvenile and selfish, Love Me If You Dare dares to entertain in an appalling manner depicting an affair adulterated by irrationality, irresponsibility, and immaturity. Inspired by Amélie in cinematic behavior and approach, Love Me If You Dare is an intriguing confusion communicating offensive and embarrassing messages aggravated by improper humor.
Drew S

I stopped watching this halfway through and, you know what, I don't feel even remotely bad about it. 2011 is too short to be spending with fictional douchebags!
Leigh R

Not as romantic as I was envisioning, but it was still good. The characters started to get on my nerves in some cases and I felt that it should have reached the ending earlier but I see why it was done the way it was done. It was pretty good... I wish they would not consider… More
Not as romantic as I was envisioning, but it was still good. The characters started to get on my nerves in some cases and I felt that it should have reached the ending earlier but I see why it was done the way it was done. It was pretty good... I wish they would not consider J'eax d'enfants to mean "Love Me If You Dare" and should keep it meaning "Child's Play" since it really is all about a childish game all throughout the film.
Jennifer D

This is such a strange, and cute story about two friends who dare each other their whole lives. One of those perfect reality romances.
Lorenzo v

"Tell me that you love me first because I'm afraid that if I tell you first you'll think that I'm playing the game." As adults, best friends Julien and Sophie continue the odd game they started as children -- a fearless competition to outdo… More
"Tell me that you love me first because I'm afraid that if I tell you first you'll think that I'm playing the game." As adults, best friends Julien and Sophie continue the odd game they started as children -- a fearless competition to outdo one another with daring and outrageous stunts. While they often act out to relieve one another's pain, their game might be a way to avoid the fact that they are truly meant for one another. <center>REVIEW</center> A movie about the secret real age of everyone. A film about games, illusions and desire. A love story. And a nostalgic french comedy. In fact, a subtle attempt to self-definition. I believe in childhood immortality. In the colors of a magic frame of mind who save every moment of routine. And this nice movie is only a pledge for the delicious "etat d'enfance". For the force of a strange love not for a person but for some words in which everybody is master of the moment. A toy, a game, a habit are elements of a sweet condition and parts of life's assumes. The Peter Pan spirit is the essence of every gesture of Julien, the root of his vacillation and ambiguity. The box is treasure, legacy, source of power and cruelty, Narnia's door. It is the body of mum's memory and form of special normality. Because it is a gift with magic valences, the wall of personal world. The precious element of "Jeux d'enfants" is Marion Cotillard acting. Subtle, precise, well-balanced. Like in "Big Fish", his character is a light's source and sign of miracle, And it is not very easy. A good film about a form of spell.
Manu G

Just an epic film!!! This movie was fun and exciting and unpredictable from beginning to end, just a wonderful treat!!! Amazing acting and heartfelt all throughout. Absolutely loved it!!! Jeux d'enfants ('Child's play') or 'Love me if you dare' is a… More
Just an epic film!!! This movie was fun and exciting and unpredictable from beginning to end, just a wonderful treat!!! Amazing acting and heartfelt all throughout. Absolutely loved it!!! Jeux d'enfants ('Child's play') or 'Love me if you dare' is a love story born of a game of truth or dare gone out of control. When they first meet, Julien impresses Sophie (a bullied newcomer to his town) with a game based on a present from his mother - a brightly coloured candy tin. Thereafter the two are engaged in a playful rivalry: whoever has the box can force the other to perform a dare to get it back. Jeux d'enfants is comparable to 'In July' or 'A Life Less Ordinary', with significant dark-humour moments. Challenges esculate to include social faux pas (wearing clothing inside out) to outright cruelty (seducing an admirer to steal her earring, with no regard for her feelings). Yet their love is honest throughout, despite the distinctly sociopathic tendencies that Julien is developing. It's when the relationship breaks up and Sophie reconnects with him as an adult that the plot becomes disjointed - turning into what some can interpret as an alternative timeline or even the dying dreams of 'what could have been'.
Dean M

A French grown-up fairy tale with an irresistible mix of romance, fantasy and dark comedy between Sophie (Marion Cotillard) and Julien (Guillaume Canet) whose invent an outrageous game of "Dare" to keep their spirits alive from child to adults is wild, hilarious and… More
A French grown-up fairy tale with an irresistible mix of romance, fantasy and dark comedy between Sophie (Marion Cotillard) and Julien (Guillaume Canet) whose invent an outrageous game of "Dare" to keep their spirits alive from child to adults is wild, hilarious and fantastic. I like French actress Marion Cotillard in her performance that makes me feel like I'm drooling onto her. LOL!
Ken S

So French...loved the colors...soooooo French
Daniel P

Yeuch. Had it not been for the truly excellent performances from Guillaume Canet and Marion Cotillard I am pretty confident I would have switched this off half way through. Jeux d'enfants is a repetitive, twee mess, that attempts to cut through the… More
Yeuch. Had it not been for the truly excellent performances from Guillaume Canet and Marion Cotillard I am pretty confident I would have switched this off half way through. Jeux d'enfants is a repetitive, twee mess, that attempts to cut through the afore-mentioned twee-ness by injecting pseudo-darkness and by tacking on annoying surrealist tangents. The central characters are both gruesome and grotesque and highly unlikeable, and between the contrivances and unconvincing comedy and the hurl-worthy ending, there's little here to recommend this film aside for some admittedly interesting directorial flourishes and the acting.
Nicolas K

A love story to die for!
Linda K

Not your typical romantic film! It is indeed charming but not cheesy!
Sunil J

Sweet. As spirited as Amelie but not as sophisticated.
Richard F

A quirky French film, like "Amelie" in style, but with an unprecedented storyline. Fans of French cinema will enjoy this.
Daisy M

Jeux d'enfants ('Child's play') or 'Love me if you dare' is a love story born of a game of truth or dare gone out of control. When they first meet, Julien impresses Sophie (a bullied newcomer to his town) with a game based on a present from his mother - a… More
Jeux d'enfants ('Child's play') or 'Love me if you dare' is a love story born of a game of truth or dare gone out of control. When they first meet, Julien impresses Sophie (a bullied newcomer to his town) with a game based on a present from his mother - a brightly coloured candy tin. Thereafter the two are engaged in a playful rivalry: whoever has the box can force the other to perform a dare to get it back. Jeux d'enfants is comparable to 'In July' or 'A Life Less Ordinary', with significant dark-humour moments. Challenges esculate to include social faux pas (wearing clothing inside out) to outright cruelty (seducing an admirer to steal her earring, with no regard for her feelings). Yet their love is honest throughout, despite the distinctly tendencies that Julien is developing. It's when the relationship breaks up and Sophie reconnects with him as an adult that the plot becomes disjointed - turning into what some can interpret as an alternative time line or even the dying dreams of 'what could have been' <a href="http://s420.photobucket.com/albums/pp286/ladypink_2009/?action=view&current=lovemeif1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i420.photobucket.com/albums/pp286/ladypink_2009/lovemeif1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a> I rarely see foreign movies, cause I cant them over here, I got this recommendation from Ali, he was so excited for me to see this movie. Finally I got to see it and honestly loved this movie a bit. It starts off as a sweet memoir of childhood, then moves forward, gathering moments for perspective on love, friendship, obsession and sacrifice. The movie is somewhat of a roller-coaster ride, masterly filmed, and has much to offer in artistic credit. (these actors were not known for me) It's probably not for everyone, some of the scenes are quite confronting, and the humor is sometimes boring, and even the ending seemed a bit abrupt for me. It's not a conventional movie, but if you can appreciate a bit of French humor, (I'm not used to that humor), and the idea that love is just a game that adults play, then I'd highly recommend it.
Sarah B

Very intriguing, with interesting ideas, compelling characters and a great screenplay, but the ending ruined the whole thing for me.
Dimitris S

Strong and excessively romantic,here's a film even hard-core guys will enjoy because of their prejudice on "chick flicks".Cotillard in one of her first major roles and a surreal atmosphere gain the movie's bonus points.
Janice :

Okay let's make this interesting. I want you to imagine the most lurid and shocking scene you can come up with. Easy right? ... Are you done yet? Now I want you to link it in some way to the movie poster you see right beside this review. Doesn't work now does it? Now I… More
Okay let's make this interesting. I want you to imagine the most lurid and shocking scene you can come up with. Easy right? ... Are you done yet? Now I want you to link it in some way to the movie poster you see right beside this review. Doesn't work now does it? Now I want you to think of the possible story behind this movie, based on the movie poster once more. You're probably thinking "Oh another chick flick". I agree with the whole we're-both-under-the-rain-and-about-to-kiss-because-we-have-always-loved-each-other vibe we're getting from looking at the cover art. Totally cliché. But to tell you the truth, the movie poster has totally circumvented the movie's raison d'être, which is unfortunate, because this is a masterpiece! Dark and twisted romance with Guillaume Canet and Marion Cotillard as Julien and Sophie, both heart-warming characters (but also great actors). I was especially touched during the scene when both characters were still children and mentioned what they would like to be when they grow up; Julien a tyrant and Sophie (this is cute) a custard tart ^_^ That just hooked me. Love me if you dare is intense, emotionally poignant, almost creepy, bleak and endlessly shocking (it'll have you gaping even hours after watching it). Once more the French have done it with this film that I now strongly recommend to you, fellow Flixsterian. Yes you, the one reading this sentence right now, thinking "Oh will she ever stop rambling on. We get the point!" Well I just wanted to make sure you did! :D RENT THIS IMMEDIATELY OTHERWISE I WILL HUNT YOU DOWN, STALK YOU AND PUT A COPY IN YOUR MAILBOX.
FanGirl B

I'm not quite sure I got the end. One twisted love story.
Eduardo C

Tremendous disappointment. What was billed as a dark, visually arresting romance, sort of Amelie's serial-killer cousin, is instead a ridiculous piece with absolutely no roots on any sort of reality or hyper-reality I can conceive of. Characters behave one way and then, out of… More
Tremendous disappointment. What was billed as a dark, visually arresting romance, sort of Amelie's serial-killer cousin, is instead a ridiculous piece with absolutely no roots on any sort of reality or hyper-reality I can conceive of. Characters behave one way and then, out of the blue, completely differently, because they are simple pawns in the plot. The film is a series of arbitrarily conceived cirucmstances after the other, which means the audience cannot empathize with what is happening because they are not watching characters but contrievances, stand-ins. It is as if the writer came up with 2 or 3 sequences he wanted, and then filled up the running time with random illogical scenes that he felt fit the "mood" of what he wanted, but had no logical bearing whatsoever. The ending is one the film has not earned. It could have conceivably worked in a better picture, but here it just feels phony, as arbitrary as everything that went on before it. It is a shame that this well acted, visually inventive and often creative work commits suicide by adhering itself to a decidedly inferior script.