The Singer (Quand j'etais chanteur) (2006)

94% of critics liked it
(16 reviews)
51% of users liked it
(2,318 ratings)

A small-time crooner of sentimental ballads enters into a May-December romance with a fragile young real-estate agent in this low-key romantic drama starring Gérard Depardieu and Cécile de France. Fifty-something Alain (Depardieu) is something of a local celebrity in Clermont-Ferrand, and few nights… More A small-time crooner of sentimental ballads enters into a May-December romance with a fragile young real-estate agent in this low-key romantic drama starring Gérard Depardieu and Cécile de France. Fifty-something Alain (Depardieu) is something of a local celebrity in Clermont-Ferrand, and few nights pass when the popular singer-of-standards doesn't exit the stage until well into the morning hours. But karaoke is making singers such as Alain a rare breed these days, and it seems as if his days under the spotlight may be numbered. One night, while serenading the audience from the stage, Alain spots beautiful and unfamiliar blonde Marian (de France) in the crowd. Though he eventually her to meet him the following day, the cautiously guarded Marian remains curiously immune to his charm. Nevertheless, Alain's quiet persistence and self-depreciating humor eventually pays off, and the two soon find themselves strangely drawn to one and other. As fate would have it, Marian is currently employed at a real estate company owned by Alain's friend Bruno (Mathieu Amalric) - who also has eyes for the emotionally troubled young woman. Though Alain's ex-wife and current manager Michele (Christine Citti) doesn't discourage the ageing singer's relationship with the younger woman, her concern with his apparently-waning career soon prompts her to consider how she will spend her own future. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 52 min.
Directed By: Xavier Giannoli
Genres: Drama, Romance

In Theaters: Sep 13, 2006 Wide
Studio: EuropaCorp. Distribution

Critic Reviews

Derek Elley, Variety
The Singer hits all its emotional gracenotes with spot-on pitch.
Rich Cline, Shadows on the Wall
Gentle humour and earthy emotion give this film a wonderfully relaxed tone that astutely captures our imagination.
Derek Malcolm, This is London
Giannoli's film is as bitter as it is sweet and paints the scene with masterly precision, even if the usual comforting ending is at odds with what has gone before.
Anthony Quinn, Independent
Depardieu, utterly relaxed, is a decent crooner, and what the film lacks in strong narrative it compensates for in charm and De France's odd loveliness.
Tim Robey, Daily Telegraph
Like watching an elephant mate with a gazelle.
Peter Bradshaw, Guardian [UK]
The Singer requires a certain amount of sentimental indulgence, and indeed a specific fondness for French chansons to be really loved.
Ed Potton, Times [UK]
Gerard Depardieu as the walrus of lurve chansons? It's unlikely, but it works.
Steve Watson, Little White Lies
An interesting and unusual love story.
Rob Daniel, Sky Movies
A minor work for the famous Gallic acting export, The Singer still leaves a song in the heart.
Patrick Peters, Empire Magazine
Constantly confounding expectations, this is a film of heart and humour.
Anton Bitel, Film4
Just like the songs that it celebrates, Giannoli's film may speak to the universal human feelings of love, loss and loneliness, but its rather crusty veneer will not be to everyone's tastes.
Laura Clifford, Reeling Reviews
...a very unique love story featuring a knockout performance from Depardieu...
Urban Cinefile Critics, Urban Cinefile
Gerard Depardieu gives an exquisitely soulful performance ... a deceptively simple, yet affecting film about the poetry of love, the burden of loneliness and the thrill of a May December romance.
Boyd van Hoeij, european-films.net
A French, musical, small-town variant on Lost in Translation that deserves an equally big audience.
Geoff Andrew, Time Out
An admirably tough, ambivalent and honest look at the fraught relationship between real feelings and the culturally acceptable (or otherwise) public expression of similar emotions as manipulative entertainment. Excellent.
Matthew Turner, ViewLondon
Depardieu is wonderful as Alain, presenting him as an honest, discreet and painfully realistic character who really cares about his work, as opposed to the more obvious cliches of a washed-up, sleazy loser still dreaming of the big time.

Read all 16 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Lorenzo v

"Sometimes love can be found in the most unexpected places" Alain Moreau sings for one of the few remaining dance-bands in Clermont-Ferrand. Though something of an idol amongst his female audience he has a melancholic awareness of the slow disappearance… More
"Sometimes love can be found in the most unexpected places" Alain Moreau sings for one of the few remaining dance-bands in Clermont-Ferrand. Though something of an idol amongst his female audience he has a melancholic awareness of the slow disappearance of that audience and of his advancing years. He is completely knocked off balance when he meets strikingly attractive and much younger businesswoman Marion. <center>REVIEW</center> On the basis of this one film, Xavier Giannoli seems like a limited director, one who can coax a good performance from an actor--or simply stand out of the way when it's the monumental Depardieu--but who shows little sense of style or drama. I lost count of the number of scenes that go nowhere, that serve only to bring out another of Alain Moreau's foibles. Why does the singer have to share scenes with a goat, for heaven's sake? Poor Mathieu Amalric: here's one of the most interesting actors in France, and his character can only open doors and make introductions. Gerard Depardieu is splendid, it's one of his five best career performances. He's entirely at ease, spinning his stories to the enchanted but watchful Cecile de France. To play Marion, she has had to turn down the Audrey Hepburn gamine quality; she's very effective in a few scenes.
Nicki M

Nice movie about a much older man with a past who falls for young woman who doesn't fall for his charms. Both are sad characters who come to help each other in a strange sort of way.
Patrick D

Simple and complicated, very engrossing. It's really interesting to see the life of these kind of singers. It's really sweet too and sad.