Yann Samuell's bizarre romantic comedy begins as what looks like an apprentice filmmaker's
take on Le
fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain (2002), complete with irritating zooms,
over-saturated photography and children acting unconvincingly as adults. Once you
manage to get past this off-putting prelude, the film settles into what looks more like
traditional French comedy drama, albeit one which takes a few uncomfortable black comedic
turns. Sympathetic performances from Guillaume Canet and Marion Cotillard provide
some emotional realism and prevent the whole thing from collapsing into a wash of forced
sentimentality and whimsy. Whilst Jeux d'enfants
can be irksome in places, it is also strangely compelling and even entertaining.
Unfortunately, the ambiguous double ending robs the film of the magic it somehow manages
to summon up in its last twenty or so minutes.
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Film Synopsis
Julien and Sophie deal with the traumas and tragedies of life by competing
in a dare game which tests the limits of both their nerve and their friendship.
They met when they were small children, at the time when Julien's mother
was dying from an inoperable cancer. Ever since they have been the
closest of friends, living by their own rules and not caring what the world
thinks of them. By the time they are both 18 their dare games have
become more cruel and dangerous. Then they go their separate ways and
meet up a year later. This is when Julien reveals he has met his ideal
woman and intends to marry her. Sophie can hardly believe this news.
She had thought she and Julien would be together forever. Deeply hurt,
she does everything she can to sabotage the wedding, but fails. It
is another ten years before Julien realises the mistake he has made.
Comfortably settled with a wife and mortgage, Julien now finally realises
that there is only one person he loves - but where is she now? What
has become of Sophie...?
Cast:Guillaume Canet (Julien Janvier),
Marion Cotillard (Sophie Kowalsky),
Thibault Verhaeghe (Julien à 8 ans),
Joséphine Lebas-Joly (Sophie à 8 ans),
Emmanuelle Grönvold (Julien's Mother),
Gérard Watkins (Julien's Father),
Gilles Lellouche (Sergei Nimov Nimovitch),
Julia Faure (Sophie's Sister),
Laëtizia Venezia Tarnowska (Christelle Louise Bouchard),
Élodie Navarre (Aurélie Miller),
Nathalie Nattier (Sophie à 80 ans),
Robert Willar (Julien (80 ans)),
Frédéric Geerts (Igor),
Manuela Sanchez (Teacher),
Philippe Drecq (School Principal),
Luc Bromagne (Priest),
Jean-Michel Flagothier (Dorzac),
Stéphane Auberghen (Proctor),
Isabelle Delval (Clothilde),
Christophe Rossignon (Doctor 2)
Country: France / Belgium
Language: French
Support: Color
Runtime: 93 min
Aka:Love Me If You Dare
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