My Afternoons with Margueritte (2011)

84% of critics liked it
(57 reviews)
78% of users liked it
(4,568 ratings)

My Afternoons with Margueritte is the story of life's random encounters. In a small French town, Germain, a nearly illiterate man in his 50's and considered to be the village idiot by his friends at the local bistro, takes a walk to the park one day and happens to sit beside Marguerite, a little old… More My Afternoons with Margueritte is the story of life's random encounters. In a small French town, Germain, a nearly illiterate man in his 50's and considered to be the village idiot by his friends at the local bistro, takes a walk to the park one day and happens to sit beside Marguerite, a little old lady who is reading excerpts from her novel aloud. She's articulate, highly intelligent and frail. Between Germain and Margueritte, there are 40 years and 200 pounds difference. Germain is lured by Margueritte's passion for life and the magic of literature from which he has always felt excluded. As Margueritte broadens his mind via reading excerpts from her novel, Germain realizes that he is more of an intellectual than he has ever allowed himself to be. Afternoons spent reading aloud on their favorite bench transform their lives and start them both on a new journey -- to literacy and respect for Germain, and to the deepest friendship for Margueritte. -- (C) Cohen Media Group

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 22 min.
Directed By: Jean Becker
Written By: Jean Becker, Jean-Loup Dabadie
Genres: Drama, Art House & International, Comedy

In Theaters: Sep 16, 2011 Limited
On DVD: Jun 19, 2012
Studio: Cohen Media Group

Critic Reviews

Tom Long, Detroit News
A sweet puff of a film, My Afternoons With Margueritte is as disarming as it is absurd.
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
The happy ending lays it on too thick, but what the hell: In for a dime, in for a dollar.
Adam Bernstein, Washington Post
A predictable, undernourished love story.
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle
It's a lovely movie.
Wesley Morris, Boston Globe
It's determined to look on the bright side. The film isn't about the actor's intelligence. It's about his emotional radiance.
Richard Nilsen, Arizona Republic
The film is leisurely paced, as many French films are, and not much actually happens, but as a character study, it feels true, and ultimately moving.
Enrique Buchichio, Uruguay Total
No será una gran película, pero es un raro ejemplar en estos días cuyo hallazgo produce un placer inusual. Gérard Depardieu ofrece una actuación conmovedora.
Marjorie Baumgarten, Austin Chronicle
There's no reason this cliché-ridden French drama should work, but it does, and there's the beauty of it.
Emily S. Mendel, culturevulture.net
a small charming film that only the French could create.
Chris Foran, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Casadesus - at 97, a French national treasure who has been wowing stage and screen audiences since the 1930s - tenderly manages to make great literature sound like conversation, and vice versa.
Joe Williams, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
[Depardieu] is as emblematic of his country as Tom Hanks is of ours, and "My Afternoons With Margueritte" is his "Forrest Gump." Only better.
Sarah Boslaugh, Playback:stl
Only the good aspects of traditional village culture concern writer-director Jean Becker, who aims for charm rather than profundity, and hits the bull's-eye with this leisurely film.
Chris Hewitt (St. Paul), St. Paul Pioneer Press
It's a lovely French character study.
Kelly Vance, East Bay Express
The two actors and director/co-writer Jean Becker treat it as if it were a masterpiece. And maybe it is.
Frank Swietek, One Guy's Opinion
There isn't much to Jean Becker's movie, but what there is, is charming... You won't regret spending eighty minutes not only with Marguerite but with Germain, too.
Susan Granger, SSG Syndicate
Subtly sweet and compassionate, appealing to art-house filmgoers of a certain age.
Marc Mohan, Oregonian
A movie the likes of which the Nouvelle Vague was supposed to have disposed decades ago.
Peter Keough, Boston Phoenix
Though mostly sunny, Afternoons has its chills.

Read all 18 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Greg S

An oaf (Gerard Depardieu) forms an unlikely friendship with a 95-year old woman who sees the intelligence buried inside of him. This sweet, literate character study will play well for it's target audience of little old ladies, but less well for its secondary audience of… More
An oaf (Gerard Depardieu) forms an unlikely friendship with a 95-year old woman who sees the intelligence buried inside of him. This sweet, literate character study will play well for it's target audience of little old ladies, but less well for its secondary audience of semi-literate lummoxes.
c0up

'My Afternoons With Margueritte'. Sweet, charming, filled with moments of oddball humour, and two lovable leading performances! In Depardieu's last monologue, he said something like "it's not a typical love story, but the 'love' and… More
'My Afternoons With Margueritte'. Sweet, charming, filled with moments of oddball humour, and two lovable leading performances! In Depardieu's last monologue, he said something like "it's not a typical love story, but the 'love' and 'tenderness' are there"; I couldn't agree more. For once, I wanted a happy ending, and I'm glad I got it.
Panta O

This French work of art directed by Jean Becker owes everything to the two great actors: Gerard Depardieu as Germain Chazes and Gisele Casadesus as Marguerite. Such chemistry exists between the actor and the actress that it seems impossible that anyone else could be casted for those… More
This French work of art directed by Jean Becker owes everything to the two great actors: Gerard Depardieu as Germain Chazes and Gisele Casadesus as Marguerite. Such chemistry exists between the actor and the actress that it seems impossible that anyone else could be casted for those two roles! Story revolves around Germain Chazes who lives in a caravan at the bottom of his mother's garden and is considered by most to be a happy fool. One day Marguerite, a very cultured old woman, introduces him to the world of books and words. As a result, his relationship with others and with himself completely changes. Well written story (adapted by Jean-Loup Dabadie and Louis Becker) takes you along and immerses you that you cannot get out until the end. Wonderful piece of work!