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Delicatessen

Play trailer Poster for Delicatessen R 1991 1h 38m Sci-Fi Comedy Play Trailer Watchlist
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90% Tomatometer 59 Reviews 91% Popcornmeter 25,000+ Ratings
Clapet (Jean-Claude Dreyfus) is a butcher who owns a run-down apartment building in post-apocalyptic France. The building is in constant need of a handyman, because Clapet routinely butchers them and sells them as food. The latest in the long ling of disposable workers is Louison (Dominique Pinon), a former circus clown desperate for work and lodging. But this time Clapet's plan hits a snag when his young daughter (Marie-Laure Dougnac) falls head over heels for the lovable Louison.
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Delicatessen

Delicatessen

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Critics Consensus

Director Jean-Pierre Jeunet deftly combines horror, sci-fi, and humor in Delicatessen, a morbid comedy set in a visually ravishing futuristic dystopia.

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Critics Reviews

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Anton Bitel Little White Lies All at once nightmarish cannibal horror and romantic comedy, good-natured fairytale, and hyper-stylised allegory of French wartime collaboration and resistance, this collective debut from Marc Caro & Jean-Pierre Jeunet is dizzyingly difficult to pin down Oct 18, 2023 Full Review Steven Rea Philadelphia Inquirer With its molelike inhabitants, its sprawling war between flesh-eaters and lentil-men, its achingly sweet love story and surrealist blend of dusty antiquities and 21st-century gizmos, Delicatessen is indescribably wild. Rated: 3.5/4 Nov 21, 2013 Full Review Clifford Terry Chicago Tribune All of this is handled in a breezy, off-handed, nutsy manner, as the superb cast combines to help bring it off. Rated: 3.5/4 Nov 21, 2013 Full Review Matt Brunson Film Frenzy While black comedies are often known for their cynicism, this one maintains an unorthodox esprit de corp. Rated: 3.5/4 Apr 4, 2025 Full Review Iain Robertson Starburst While the subject matter is bleak, Delicatessen is a charming, unique movie and a truly unique piece of cinema. Rated: 4/5 Oct 16, 2023 Full Review Rene Jordan El Nuevo Herald (Miami) An existentialist fricassee of irresistible comedy. [Full review in Spanish] Dec 12, 2022 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Thomas S Delicatessen propose un univers singulier et dystopique, à la fois immersif et soigneusement mis en scène. La réalisation crée une atmosphère visuelle forte, qui happe le spectateur dans un monde à part. Le film m’a rappelé Le Rapport de Brodeck, notamment dans sa manière d’évoquer l’hystérie collective et de laisser percevoir, en arrière-plan, le poids de la guerre. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 09/25/25 Full Review michael w Besides that the movie is fantastically quirky as a whole, there are several scenes which are perfectly crafted while one really stands out: moooo -beeeaaa :-) Rated 5 out of 5 stars 05/27/25 Full Review Maeve H If you only watch one movie in your whole life, it has to be Delicatessen. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/14/25 Full Review Fer S Great movie! Very unique. Great casting, acting and fantastic sets. They must have been a real mess to clean up. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/18/25 Full Review Aender S Great visuals, quirky acting and crazy story, the main ingredients for this excellent movie. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 04/13/24 Full Review Logan D In a morbid future, food is in short supply and rice is used as currency. A corrupt butcher lures persons to be cut up as meat by advertising for a handyman. Wow! This is a film I often saw advertised at our local theater that showed art films and Rocky Horror but I never saw it. Indeed, I just had the impression (with no evidence) this was some snooty French film which I wouldn't like. Little did I know it is an whimsical darkly humorous zany sci-fi tale that actually examines the resistance movement in German-occupied Europe. Not that I got that. That's on Wikipedia. But you don't need to know that to enjoy this great work of film. And it has one of the greatest set pieces to ever grace the screen. A fellow film buff said that set piece was the advertisement for the film and always garnered laughs before the scheduled feature. Highly, highly recommended. So sad I took so long to view it but so happy I finally did. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 12/31/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Delicatessen

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Cast & Crew

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Jean-Pierre Jeunet

Director

Marc Caro

Director

Dominique Pinon

Louison

Marie-Laure Dougnac

Julie Clapet

Jean-Claude Dreyfus

Clapet

Rufus

Robert Kube

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Delicatessen

Delicatessen (1991) Delicatessen (1991) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Clapet (Jean-Claude Dreyfus) is a butcher who owns a run-down apartment building in post-apocalyptic France. The building is in constant need of a handyman, because Clapet routinely butchers them and sells them as food. The latest in the long ling of disposable workers is Louison (Dominique Pinon), a former circus clown desperate for work and lodging. But this time Clapet's plan hits a snag when his young daughter (Marie-Laure Dougnac) falls head over heels for the lovable Louison.
Director
Jean-Pierre Jeunet, Marc Caro
Producer
Claudie Ossard
Screenwriter
Gilles Adrien, Marc Caro, Jean-Pierre Jeunet
Distributor
Miramax Films
Production Co
Miramax
Rating
R
Genre
Sci-Fi, Comedy
Original Language
French (France)
Release Date (Theaters)
Apr 17, 1991, Original
Rerelease Date (Theaters)
Apr 3, 1992
Release Date (Streaming)
Nov 1, 2009
Box Office (Gross USA)
$9.1K
Runtime
1h 38m
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