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The Housekeeper

Play trailer Poster for The Housekeeper R Released Jul 4, 2003 1h 31m Romance Comedy Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
78% Tomatometer 59 Reviews 42% Popcornmeter 100+ Ratings
After his wife leaves him and his apartment turns into a pigsty, Jacques (Jean-Pierre Bacri) decides to get a housekeeper. He meets Laura (Émilie Dequenne), who's young and pretty. She has no experience, but he hires her. As time passes, Laura does more than just mop the floors -- she gradually begins to insinuate herself into his life. Soon their relationship threatens to go beyond that between an employer and his employee. But is that what Jacques really wants?
The Housekeeper

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Critics Consensus

Nuanced performances and an understated tone make The Housekeeper transcend its familiar premise.

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Critics Reviews

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Susan Walker Toronto Star Jack Nicholson and Diane Keaton make the life of a middle-aged single person look highly desirable. The Housekeeper doesn't deal in such delusions. Rated: 3/5 Dec 19, 2003 Full Review Liam Lacey Globe and Mail None of this is profoundly new, but the delicacy of the telling is well worth the experience. Rated: 3/4 Dec 19, 2003 Full Review Jay Boyar Orlando Sentinel With their reverse-chemistry, [Bacri and Dequenne are] so good together -- hot and hilarious simultaneously -- that you'd think they'd been a team for ages. Rated: 4/5 Nov 7, 2003 Full Review Mark Halverson Sacramento News & Review Rated: 3/5 Aug 7, 2008 Full Review Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com Rated: 3/5 Aug 13, 2005 Full Review James Verniere Boston Herald Rated: 3.5/4 Jul 16, 2005 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Audience Member extremely slow & predictable bordering on cliche Rated 1 out of 5 stars 01/21/23 Full Review Audience Member My review: http://themuletamer.com/1/post/2014/10/movie-review-of-the-housekeeper.html Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/15/23 Full Review Audience Member relationships come and go in this idyllic French fare. Bacri shines in his role as a middle-aged divorcee. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/13/23 Full Review Audience Member a somewhat quirky and disgruntled divorcee (think Jack Nicholson) decides to clean up the trainwreck in his apartment, and ultimately, heart, by inviting a young inexperienced cleaner to come in. surprisingly little drama ensues for the rest of the movie, aside from the expected. though this is typical of berri's works which capture mood and setting more than plot development, i found this one rather slow. if you'd like a well-told coming of (masculine old-)age tale, catch Elegy. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 02/11/23 Full Review Audience Member I kept waiting for some kind of interesting twist - there wasn't one... :S Rated 1 out of 5 stars 01/24/23 Full Review Audience Member Nice decent tale of a middle age man meeting and having a relationship with a much younger, very pretty woman. A bit slow in spots, but pretty wistful by film's end. Small story told well. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/27/23 Full Review Read all reviews
The Housekeeper

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Cast & Crew

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Claude Berri

Director

Jean-Pierre Bacri

Jacques

Émilie Dequenne

Laura

Brigitte Catillon

Claire

Jacques Frantz

Ralph

Axelle Abbadie

Hélène

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The Housekeeper

The Housekeeper (2002) The Housekeeper (2002) The Housekeeper (2002) The Housekeeper (2002) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis After his wife leaves him and his apartment turns into a pigsty, Jacques (Jean-Pierre Bacri) decides to get a housekeeper. He meets Laura (Émilie Dequenne), who's young and pretty. She has no experience, but he hires her. As time passes, Laura does more than just mop the floors -- she gradually begins to insinuate herself into his life. Soon their relationship threatens to go beyond that between an employer and his employee. But is that what Jacques really wants?
Director
Claude Berri
Producer
Claude Berri
Screenwriter
Claude Berri
Distributor
Palm Pictures
Production Co
Centre National de la Cinematographie
Rating
R
Genre
Romance, Comedy
Original Language
Canadian French
Release Date (Theaters)
Jul 4, 2003, Wide
Release Date (DVD)
Oct 19, 2004
Box Office (Gross USA)
$455.0K
Runtime
1h 31m