The Eighth Day (Le Huitième Jour) (1996)
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67% of critics liked it
(6 reviews) -
85% of users liked it
(4,907 ratings)
Two men with seemingly nothing in common become unlikely friends in this drama from France. Harry (Daniel Auteuil) is a salesman working for a large but faceless corporation, where he's become a success at the expense of his personal life. His wife Julie (Miou-Miou), frustrated by his lack of… More Two men with seemingly nothing in common become unlikely friends in this drama from France. Harry (Daniel Auteuil) is a salesman working for a large but faceless corporation, where he's become a success at the expense of his personal life. His wife Julie (Miou-Miou), frustrated by his lack of concern for his family, has divorced him, and while he still has visitation rights to his children, he manages to forget when it's his weekend with his daughters, and he neglects to pick them up at the train station. Harry is depressed and nearly suicidal; while driving late one rainy night, he accidentally hits a dog who is walking with Georges (Pascal Duquenne), a personable young man with Down's Syndrome. Georges lives in a mental institution, where he's happy and well cared for, but when several of the other patients leave for a weekend visit, Georges decides that he should leave too, and he sets out to visit his mother. Harry can't bring himself to leave Georges behind, so after burying the dog, he offers to drive him to his mother's home, which becomes the start of a complicated odyssey for the two of them, especially after Harry finds out that Georges' mother is no longer alive. Actor Pascal Duquenne actually does have Down's Syndrome; he and co-star Daniel Auteuil shared the Best Actor award at the 1996 Cannes Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Directed By
- Jaco Van Dormael
- Genres
- Drama, Art House & International, Comedy
- In Theaters
- May 22, 1996 Wide
Critic Reviews
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Mike Clark, USA Today
Try imagining Rain Man without the laughs but with fantasy sequences featuring a Mexican singer in garb out of Chevy Chase's Three Amigos! and a mouse.
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Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality and Practice
A buoyant spiritual film that celebrates the mysteries of friendship and precious moments of wonder when life sparkles.
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
Featured Audience Ratings
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Cast
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Daniel Auteuil
as Harry
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Pascal Duquenne
as Georges
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Miou-Miou
as Julie
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Isabelle Sadoyan
as Georges' Mother
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Henri Garcin
as Company Director
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Michele Maes
as Nathalie
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Jo De Backer
as Husband
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Didier De Neck
as Fabienne's Husband
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Josse De Pauw
as Policeman
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Didier Ferney
as Showroom Salesman
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Dominic Gould
as Harry's Colleague
- Gerard Hernandez
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Raymond Lescot
as "Big Vegetable"
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Sabrina Leurquin
as Waitress
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Fabienne Loriaux
as Fabienne
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Remy Julienne
as Lorry Driver
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Helene Roussel
as Julie's mother
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Marc Schreiber
as Showroom Salesman
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Alexandre von Sivers
as Doctor
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Roland Depauw
as TV Chef
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Jean-Henri Compère
as Teacher
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Olivier Gourmet
as Father
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Dieudonné Kabongo
as Dustman
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Andrea Simon
as Tramp
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Georges Siatidis
as Showroom Security Guard
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Jean Bollery
as Nathalie's Father
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Alain Bougnet
as Band Member
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Magali Côte
as Band Member
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Sophie De Kerkhove
as Dancing Girl
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Guy De Longree
as Band Member
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Isabelle De Nayer
as Band Member
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Erik De Staercke
as Waitress
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Yves Degen
as Showroom Manager
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Jean Désert
as Band Member
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Bernard Eylenbosch
as Dancing Man
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Monique Fluzin
as Nathalie's Mother
- Jacqueline Ghaye
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Marie Godeau
as Georges' Niece
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Pierre Godeau
as Georges' Nephew
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Michèle Gousset
as Band Member
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Patrick Harcq
as Dustman
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Laszlo Harmati
as Luis Mariano
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Christian Hecq
as Shoe Shop Manager
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Philippe Hinck
as Band Member
- Patricia Houyoux
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Lotfi Yahia Jedidi
as Dustman
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Stéphane Keyser
as "Dentofresh" Guy
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Kim Chi N'Guyen
as Mongol Baby
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Dominique Lecat
as Band Member
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Fernand Leclercq
as Band Member
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Nicolas Meeus
as Band Member
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Marie-Pierre Meinzel
as Saleswoman
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Yves Pelgrims
as Band Member
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Jean-Luc Piraux
as Pedestrian
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Nathalie Ponlot
as Spanish Woman
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Vincent Rapaillerie
as Band Member
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Séréna Ruspoli
as Wife
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Ebrahim Salem
as Hindu
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Jacques Staes
as Band Member
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Alex Stainier
as Band Member
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Tam Vo
as Japanese Pianist
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Alice van Dormael
as Alice
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Juliette Van Dormael
as Juliette
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Yasmine Van Hevel
as Showgirl
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Christian Van Vlierberghe
as Band Member
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Laurette Vankeerberghen
as Cleaner
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Claude Vienne
as Band Member
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Pauline Zerla
as Little Girl