The Thorn in the Heart (2010)
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53% of critics liked it
(30 reviews) -
46% of users liked it
(403 ratings)
Filmmaker Michel Gondry turns from the playful semi-surrealism of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and The Science of Sleep to the personal story of a beloved family member in this documentary. Suzette Gondry is Michel's aunt and a retired schoolteacher; she educated children in rural… More Filmmaker Michel Gondry turns from the playful semi-surrealism of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and The Science of Sleep to the personal story of a beloved family member in this documentary. Suzette Gondry is Michel's aunt and a retired schoolteacher; she educated children in rural communities in France from 1952 to 1986. While Suzette was committed to the education of all her students, she was a particularly close with one in particular -- her son, Jean-Yves, with whom she's had a loving but sometimes combative relationship. Michel accompanies Suzette on a journey in which she visits the many schools where she taught -- or the sites where those schools once stood -- and speaks of her experiences. She also meets some of her former students, and it's clear they recall Suzette as a woman with a kind heart but a strong will, and her determination earned her the enmity of a few of her charges. L'Epine dans le Coeur (aka The Thorn in the Heart) was an official selection at the 2009 BFI London Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Directed By
- Michel Gondry
- Written By
- Michel Gondry
- Genres
- Documentary, Special Interest
- In Theaters
- Apr 2, 2010 Wide
- On DVD
- Aug 10, 2010
- Studio
- Oscilloscope Pictures
Critic Reviews
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David Jenkins, Time Out
Its rambling structure, peppered with lyrical, magical-realist asides, may not be to all tastes, but there's a sense that Gondry wants this to be more than an eccentric personal portrait...
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Sheri Linden, Los Angeles Times
Brimming with affection and beautifully shot, but it builds a flimsy case for why it matters.
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David Edelstein, New York Magazine
This is an extraordinary film.
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Mike Hale, New York Times
As Mr. Gondry unfolds the story of her life, and of her inability to connect with the son she sees as weak, you can understand why it would consume a familyâ(TM)s interest, but youâ(TM)re not sure why he thought it would pique ours.
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V.A. Musetto, New York Post
The film is well-constructed, as one would expect from Gondry, but it offers little reason for anyone outside the family circle to care about dear old Tante Suzette.
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