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A Very Long Engagement

Play trailer Poster for A Very Long Engagement R Released Nov 26, 2004 2h 14m Drama War Mystery & Thriller Romance Play Trailer Watchlist
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79% Tomatometer 146 Reviews 85% Popcornmeter 50,000+ Ratings
Mathilde (Audrey Tautou) is told that her fiancé (Gaspard Ulliel) has been killed in World War I. She refuses to believe this, however, and begins trying to find out what actually happened on the battlefield the night he was supposedly killed, enlisting the help of a private investigator. During her search, she stumbles across evidence of the inhumane and morally bankrupt system used by the French to deal with deserters, and hears from other men who were sentenced to extreme punishment.
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A Very Long Engagement

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Critics Consensus

A well-crafted and visually arresting drama with a touch of whimsy.

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Critics Reviews

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Empire Magazine Rated: 4/5 Apr 1, 2006 Full Review Kimberley Jones Austin Chronicle Rated: 2.5/5 Jan 15, 2005 Full Review Tom Long Detroit News This is grand cinema. Rated: A Dec 22, 2004 Full Review James Mottram The List With detail crammed into literally every frame, you'd be hard-pressed to find a more imaginative film this year. Rated: 4/5 Apr 23, 2019 Full Review Nick Rogers Midwest Film Journal As in any fable, there are spires, towers and moats, and it's a spellbinding saga - a macabre dance choreographed by its romance's throbbing heart. Mathilde and Manech's love left its mark in many places, so why not the grungiest and war-torn? Rated: 3.5/4 Nov 22, 2010 Full Review Mark Halverson Sacramento News & Review Rated: 4/5 Aug 7, 2008 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Kipher K A visually stunning movie, complex characters, and powerful story line. Enchanting moments in scenes with some stark, real moments. Art. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 05/04/24 Full Review Blob 9 An Intricately complex mosaic of woven story lines brought to life by the magic mind of Jean-Pierre Jeunet is an intense, disturbing and enchantingly powerful picture to absorb. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 11/03/23 Full Review Michael O I read (and hated) the book, A Very Long Engagement, so why did I see the movie? Because at that age I had a crush on Audrey Tatou. However, I am very glad that I saw the movie. I hated two things about the book. The first was that it was not realistic at all. However, in a movie it is much easier to suspend disbelief. The second was that the book was lewd without being interesting. The movie was interesting without being lewd. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 08/30/23 Full Review Audience Member I love this film. Beautifully shot, beautifully acted. Enjoyed every moment. So many scene stealers. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/29/23 Full Review Audience Member Aug 2020 DVR So...same actors as Amalie but much more serious layered on top of his sense of humor. Some else called it "Cold Mountain" with French People. If I were to watch it again, I would try to keep track of the *five* key characters, as its a very complex mystery she's solving for. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/28/23 Full Review dave s When Mathilde (Audrey Tautou) is told that her childhood sweetheart and fiancé has been killed in action, she embarks on an odyssey, believing that he is still alive, to discover the truth about his whereabouts. Visually stunning and inventive throughout, A Very Long Engagement is deeply touching as a romance and graphically harrowing as a war film. However, it is so filled with both narrative and visual detail that it can become exhausting, much like trying to take in all of the scenery while on a high-speed train – you know where you've been and where you're going, but you can't help but get the feeling that you've missed a lot of things along the way. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Read all reviews
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Cast & Crew

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Jean-Pierre Jeunet

Director

Audrey Tautou

Mathilde

Gaspard Ulliel

Manech

Jean-Pierre Becker

Esperanza

Dominique Bettenfeld

Ange Bassignano

Clovis Cornillac

Benoît Notre-Dame
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A Very Long Engagement

A scene from the film "A Very Long Engagement." A scene from the film "A Very Long Engagement." A scene from the film "A Very Long Engagement." A scene from the film "A Very Long Engagement." A scene from the film "A Very Long Engagement." A scene from the film "A Very Long Engagement." A scene from the film "A Very Long Engagement." A scene from the film "A Very Long Engagement." A scene from the film "A Very Long Engagement." A scene from the film "A Very Long Engagement." View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Mathilde (Audrey Tautou) is told that her fiancé (Gaspard Ulliel) has been killed in World War I. She refuses to believe this, however, and begins trying to find out what actually happened on the battlefield the night he was supposedly killed, enlisting the help of a private investigator. During her search, she stumbles across evidence of the inhumane and morally bankrupt system used by the French to deal with deserters, and hears from other men who were sentenced to extreme punishment.
Director
Jean-Pierre Jeunet
Producer
Angus Finney
Screenwriter
Sébastien Japrisot, Jean-Pierre Jeunet
Distributor
Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Co
Warner Brothers
Rating
R (Violence|Sexuality)
Genre
Drama, War, Mystery & Thriller, Romance
Original Language
French (France)
Release Date (Theaters)
Nov 26, 2004, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Jul 24, 2014
Runtime
2h 14m
Sound Mix
Surround
Aspect Ratio
Scope (2.35:1)
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