A Pure Formality

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A Pure Formality

PG-13

1994

1h 48m

Mystery & Thriller

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

80%

Tomatometer

5 Reviews

88%

Popcornmeter

1,000+ Ratings

Onoff (Gérard Depardieu) is a once-famous French writer who has remained out of the public eye in recent years, but when the police spot him running in the rain in the general vicinity of a murder site, they take him into custody for questioning. Confronted by the inspector (Roman Polanski), Onoff claims that he has no recollection of the evening's events, resulting in a back-and-forth between the two men that may or may not result in the uncovering of the truth.

Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

01/01/2000

1.5/4

Having made the splendidly entertaining Cinema Paradiso in 1988, Giuseppe Tornatore now exhibits his versatility with A Pure Formality, which is not entertaining at all.

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Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

06/18/2005

3/5

Nicolas Lacroix

Showbizz.net

01/15/2003

5/5

Ken Hanke

Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

11/05/2002

4/5

Rivetting.

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Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat

Spirituality & Practice

08/29/2002

Convincing psychological thriller that challenges us to consider the thin line between fantasy and reality.

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Mo S.

@9mr_0 Dec 9

تحفه فتيه ونهاية رائعه و قصه جميله جدا

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01/01/2021

A murder is committed and there is one witness. There are two main characters that carry the movie: The inspector and the witness. This is not a fast paced thriller but a deeply spiritual and psychologically metered endeavor through the dark night of one lost soul. If you have the time and the inclination, I recommend it to you.

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10/07/2018

great little masterpiece with nice twist

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06/30/2014

good dialogue, filmed well, and the story itself was decent enough..it is worth a look.

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12/26/2013

A famous writer was interrogated by a police officer who is his fan for the investigation of a muder case. The officer tries to recall his memory through exhaustive questionings, only to find out that the writer has undergone a shocking journey. Having inspired subsequent films like The Sixth Sense and The Others, Tornatore's A Pure Formality is more of an enlightening exploration of existence and survival, rather than mystery. The difficult beginning does not erode the journey to the bottom of the heart subsequently.

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08/28/2013

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Synopsis

Onoff (Gérard Depardieu) is a once-famous French writer who has remained out of the public eye in recent years, but when the police spot him running in the rain in the general vicinity of a murder site, they take him into custody for questioning. Confronted by the inspector (Roman Polanski), Onoff claims that he has no recollection of the evening's events, resulting in a back-and-forth between the two men that may or may not result in the uncovering of the truth.

Director: Giuseppe Tornatore
Producer: Mario Cecchi Gori, Vittorio Cecchi Gori
Production Co: Cecchi Gori Group Tiger Cinema
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: Canadian French
Runtime: 1h 48m