My Afternoons with Margueritte (2010)

Gerard Depardieu is back...and this time in a sensitive, enchanting film about the beauty of a friendship between a nearly illiterate man and an elderly woman with a deep affection for books. Sitting on a park bench watching the pigeons play and interact, the woman elegant, wise, but going blind senses the honest heart of the man beside her, the character played by Depardieu. She warms up to him and vice versa. They end up loving each other, but not in the conventional way. She reads books aloud to him and finds out that he is an especially good listener.

It's not just about the love of books, it's about the love of loves. In an age where too many movies celebrate violence and sex, this is a gentle change of pace. And let me add that Giselle Casadesus who plays the lead character is a sensation.

Based on a novel by Marie-Sabine Roger, MY AFTERNOONS WITH MARGUERITTE is pleasant, (mostly) family-friendly escapism that serves as a reminder to the young-at-heart who think they know it all. It's the uncharacteristic love story between Germain Chazes (played by Gerard Depardieu) and Margueritte (Gisele Casadesus), two neglected souls who share a park bench in a chance meeting where they talk about the pigeons. Immediately, the elder Margueritte takes a pleasant enough shine to Germain, who's viewed by the locals as a bit of a buffoon. Raised by a mother he believes never loved him, Germain lacked any real affection as a child. In flashbacks, we're shown that throughout his school days he was ostracized by students and teachers alike. He never quite `fit in' with any of his relationships, and, as a consequence, he strongly responds to Margueritte's courtesies. They continue to meet over the next several weeks, wherein the senior agrees to read to him from the books of her personal library.

In short, AFTERNOONS is an oddly effective `coming of age' story for both the principles. Margueritte at her advanced age lives what's left of her days in an assisted living community, where she's holed up with her books, rarely visited by her own family. By contrast, Germain sees the world plainly, engaging in such elementary tasks as naming each of the park's pigeons he feeds based on their observed behaviors. Margueritte becomes smitten by his honest (if not poetic) simplicity, and he slowly begins to realize he may be as "simple" as he's often dismissed himself. Like in any positive relationship, the two come to understand one another in unique ways that brings greater happiness to their lives, even though others scoff at the time they spend together.

Also, there's an odd narrative parallel running between two distinct love stories: (1) Germain and Margueritte, and (2) Germain and Annette (played by Sophie Guilleman), his legitimate girlfriend from town. There's the obvious generational difference between the simpleton and his elderly suitor-of-sorts, but there's a second one between Germain and Annette, who appears (at least to me) about 30 years his junior. The much-older-man with the much-younger-woman doesn't factor as prominent, but it's clear that the townsfolk have no reservations about those affections; by contrast, Germain receives much good-spirited "ribbing" for spending so much time with the old woman. I believe the statement made here is that it's odd how some relationships are accepted, if not encouraged, while others are frowned upon and the source of scorn.

In the end, Germain sees it as love. To be perfectly honest, it probably is, though it may not be the form most folks expect between a man and a woman. Also, given the fact that he's portrayed a bit as the village idiot, one could reasonably question whether it is or not. In the end, it doesn't matter, for, when you're exploring matters of the heart, all that really matters is what the two `lovers' feel. In that estimate, AFTERNOONS are worth spending in the comfort of your soul mate, and these two have definitely found one another.

MY AFTERNOONS WITH MARGUERITTE was produced by ICE3, K.J.B. Production, France 3 Cinema, Studio Canal, DD Productions, and a host of others. DVD distribution is being handled domestically by New Video Group. It all looks and sounds solid. Artistically, I had some trouble with Germain's flashbacks; they were filmed in the same fashion as the present-time parts of the narrative, and it would've been nice had the director chosen to set them apart visually a bit because, the first time it happened, I assumed we were in present day ... until the school boy answered to his name. It's a mild hiccup, but I thought it worth mentioning. No significant special features to speak of; a commentary might've been nice, but, alas, it wasn't meant to be.

RECOMMENDED. It's not a big picture. It isn't necessarily elegant or boldly dramatic in any particular way. Still, MY AFTERNOONS WITH MARGUERITTE is a pleasant enough diversion one exploring a chance encounter that turns into an effective if unconventional relationship for both parties brought to life convincingly by the two leads. It may not change the way you live your own life, but it just might make you think twice when you happen across an elderly spinster sitting on a park bench.

In the interests of fairness, I'm pleased to disclose that the good folks at New Video Group provided me with a DVD screener copy of MY AFTERNOONS WITH MARGUERITTE for the expressed purposes of completing this review.

Buy My Afternoons with Margueritte (2010) Now

So amiable, pleasant, and likable--the French confection "My Afternoons with Margueritte" is pretty hard to resist. The film is set in a provincial town where everyone knows everyone else's business and the citizenry is populated with an expected assortment of eccentric character types. At the heart of the film is Gerard Depardieu playing, essentially, the village idiot. As a functional illiterate with a penchant for saying the wrong thing, most of the town laughs along with his antics. People like him, but he is taken primarily as comic relief. His tumultuous relationship with his mother hints at something a little darker beneath the surface and we see glimpses, both past and present, of a less genial life story. But we never dwell on anything too serious in this breezy little film.

But what of Margueritte? She is an elderly woman from a local home that has a chance encounter with Depardieu in the park. They bond over pigeons, and soon their one-time meet morphs into a regular encounter. She shares her love of books with him as she reads aloud and encourages him to embrace that it's never too late too learn. As their bond deepens into a loving friendship, there are a few stumbling blocks. It's all rather predictable, but always very sweet as well. I suppose it would have been very easy for this to have turned into overly sentimental treacle, but the pace is brisk and the actors are engaging--so it's a story you want to root for even if it holds few surprises.

The fact that the movie works as well as it does is certainly a testament to the two leads. I especially thought the great Gisele Casadesus had a pleasing matter-of-factness as the aforementioned Margueritte. When she and Depardieu play off one another, it is a real delight. Her faith in him gives him more confidence in himself, and it's a charming message. I might have toned down some of the unnecessary wackiness within peripheral storylines. I might also have liked to know how, given his reputation in town, Depardieu scored such a lovely and supportive girlfriend. But these are minor quibbles. "My Afternoons With Margueritte" is just a pleasant experience that you give yourself over to. I'm not sure that Jean Becker's film is going to linger with me for long, but I enjoyed it in the moment. KGHarris, 6/12.

Read Best Reviews of My Afternoons with Margueritte (2010) Here

( This is a review of the Standard DVD version of this release.)

Remember in the 1970s and 1980s when French actor Gerard Depardieu was a French "matinee idol"? Okay he wasn't "small" in stature but you would never consider him large. Well time passes and the actor (with almost 275 films to his credit ) is older and much larger now. But he still has that innocent face, and, in his early 60s, is still making fine films.

This low-keyed film matches Depardieu with 97-year old French actress Gisele Casadesus as an unlikely pair who meet one day in a park (literally) counting the pigeons. Depardieus's character, Germain, is a hard worker (he cultivates fruits and vegetables to sell at outdoor markets) but was a slow learner in school and can hardly read. His newly found bench mate is articulate and an avid reader and through reading aloud to Germain she brings a whole new world to him. Director Jean Becker uses an interesting technique to show us how the words (such as those in Camus' "The Stranger") come to life in Germain's mind.

The 83 minutes of this film go by quickly as we are drawn into the story and the actors (both veterans) make us feel for their relationship, knowing that, at age 97, Margueritte has only so much time to read. The ending is sweet and will put a tear in your eye.

My only fault in this DVD (which has no supplemental material except the theatrical trailer) is that the subtitles are in white text and are often difficult to read when the background is also white or in pale colors. (Subtitles work best when they are in green or a contrasting color or shown below the image.)

I can certainly recommend this to Depardieu fans, those who like French films or avid readers who love the printed word.

Steve Ramm

"Anything Phonographic"

Want My Afternoons with Margueritte (2010) Discount?

So amiable, pleasant, and likable--the French confection "My Afternoons with Margueritte" is pretty hard to resist. The film is set in a provincial town where everyone knows everyone else's business and the citizenry is populated with an expected assortment of eccentric character types. At the heart of the film is Gerard Depardieu playing, essentially, the village idiot. As a functional illiterate with a penchant for saying the wrong thing, most of the town laughs along with his antics. People like him, but he is taken primarily as comic relief. His tumultuous relationship with his mother hints at something a little darker beneath the surface and we see glimpses, both past and present, of a less genial life story. But we never dwell on anything too serious in this breezy little film.

But what of Margueritte? She is an elderly woman from a local home that has a chance encounter with Depardieu in the park. They bond over pigeons, and soon their one-time meet morphs into a regular encounter. She shares her love of books with him as she reads aloud and encourages him to embrace that it's never too late too learn. As their bond deepens into a loving friendship, there are a few stumbling blocks. It's all rather predictable, but always very sweet as well. I suppose it would have been very easy for this to have turned into overly sentimental treacle, but the pace is brisk and the actors are engaging--so it's a story you want to root for even if it holds few surprises.

The fact that the movie works as well as it does is certainly a testament to the two leads. I especially thought the great Gisele Casadesus had a pleasing matter-of-factness as the aforementioned Margueritte. When she and Depardieu play off one another, it is a real delight. Her faith in him gives him more confidence in himself, and it's a charming message. I might have toned down some of the unnecessary wackiness within peripheral storylines. I might also have liked to know how, given his reputation in town, Depardieu scored such a lovely and supportive girlfriend. But these are minor quibbles. "My Afternoons With Margueritte" is just a pleasant experience that you give yourself over to. I'm not sure that Jean Becker's film is going to linger with me for long, but I enjoyed it in the moment. KGHarris, 6/12.

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