Summary
Alain Moreau is a 50-year-old singer who contents himself with
performing at private functions and lonely heart dance-clubs in his
hometown of Clermont-Ferrand. One day, he meets Marion, a
27-year-old who has a young child, the result of a liaison with a man
she no longer loves. Both Alain and Marion seem to be drifting
through life, uncertain where they are going or indeed what they need
to be happy. Marion, an estate agent, agrees to help Alain find
his dream home, but this turns out to be a pretext for something much
more personal...
Review
With his third and best film to date, director Xavier Giannoli continues to
pick up plaudits from the critics and is fast gaining a reputation as
one of France’s most promising young filmmakers. Although
possibly less interesting than his previous Les corps impatient (2003) and Une aventure (2005), Quand j’étais chanteur is a
well-realised depiction of a romance across the generation gap,
convincingly portrayed by Gérard Depardieu and Cécile De
France, well-written and stylishly directed.
Fans of the great Gérard Depardieu – of whom there are legion - will be delighted to see the actor crooning the many songs in this film entirely undubbed, and doing quite a respectable job of it. It may only be a matter of time before Depardieu embarks on a new career as a singer.... Cécile De France is no less impressive and is perfectly cast in the part of a fragile young woman who, with one one failed relationship under her belt, seems unwilling and unable to make a fresh start. It is her moving on-screen rapport with Depardieu that makes this film so poignant and so memorable.
© filmsdefrance.com 2009
Write a review for this film...
Fans of the great Gérard Depardieu – of whom there are legion - will be delighted to see the actor crooning the many songs in this film entirely undubbed, and doing quite a respectable job of it. It may only be a matter of time before Depardieu embarks on a new career as a singer.... Cécile De France is no less impressive and is perfectly cast in the part of a fragile young woman who, with one one failed relationship under her belt, seems unwilling and unable to make a fresh start. It is her moving on-screen rapport with Depardieu that makes this film so poignant and so memorable.
© filmsdefrance.com 2009
Write a review for this film...
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Useful links
- Best French films of 2011
- Best French films of the 2000s
- Best of the French New Wave
- Best of French film comedy
- The best 100 French films
- The most successful French films
- Great French filmmakers
Related links
- Other French films of the 2000s
- The best French films of the 2000s
- Other French romantic films
- The best French romantic films
- Biography and films of Xavier Giannoli
To buy this film
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Credits
- Director: Xavier Giannoli
- Script: Xavier Giannoli
- Photo: Yorick Le Saux
- Music: Alexandre Desplat
- Cast: Gérard Depardieu (Alain Moreau), Cécile De France (Marion), Mathieu Amalric (Bruno), Christine Citti (Michèle), Patrick Pineau (Daniel), Alain Chanoine (Philppe Mariani), Antoine de Prekel (Martin)
- Country: France
- Language: French
- Runtime: 90 min
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To buy Quand j’étais chanteur:

Drama / Romance


