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The Double Life of Veronique

Play trailer Poster for The Double Life of Veronique R Released Nov 24, 1991 1h 37m Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
86% Tomatometer 36 Reviews 91% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
Veronique (Irène Jacob) is a beautiful young French woman who aspires to be a renowned singer; Weronika (also Jacob) lives in Poland, has a similar career goal and looks identical to Veronique, though the two are not related. The film follows both women as they contend with the ups and downs of their individual lives, with Veronique embarking on an unusual romance with Alexandre Fabbri (Philippe Volter), a puppeteer who may be able to help her with her existential issues.

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The Double Life of Veronique

The Double Life of Veronique

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Critics Consensus

Operating on confounding dream logic with Irene Jacob's beautiful performance as a guide, The Double Life of Veronique offers a moving meditation on perception for audiences willing to indulge its inscrutability.

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Critics Reviews

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Anthony Lane The New Yorker We see through a glass darkly, and often confusingly, but at least we see. Apr 3, 2006 Full Review David Parkinson Empire Magazine Compelling, challenging and irresistibly beautiful, this delicate metaphysical masterpiece only emphasises how much cinema lost through Krzysztof Kieslowski's tragically early death. Rated: 4/5 Apr 1, 2006 Full Review Matthew Leyland BBC.com If Double Life is arguably only half as rewarding as some of Kieslowski's other films, then it remains an indelible entry in an outstanding career. Rated: 3/5 Mar 21, 2006 Full Review Michael J. Casey Boulder Weekly The frame dissolves, the connection is palpable and, for a brief moment, the veil between you and the screen falls. It’s moments like this that make my heart happy that pictures can move. Rated: 4.5/5 Nov 27, 2024 Full Review Bianca Garner Filmotomy Each shot feels like a painting. Oct 10, 2024 Full Review Carlos Bonfil La Jornada A beautiful Irène Jacob, the Polish filmmaker's favorite muse, embodies two characters that are identical in their physiognomy and in the nature of their profession, although opposite in their respective temperaments. [Full review in Spanish] Apr 12, 2023 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Dušan A 8 because of beautiful shots, but otherwise too "meditative" for my taste Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/07/25 Full Review Clara Y Lives of two women connected by an inexplicable bond, beautiful and poetic. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 10/27/24 Full Review Audience Member I am still processing this movie and its multiple layers of storytelling. I was a big fan of Kieslowski's three colors but never got a chance to watch Veronique. I was very impressed by the simplicity and complexity of this human drama. Irene Jacob was simply stunning and exceptional. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 02/18/23 Full Review dave s To fully enjoy The Double Life of Veronique, dispense with the idea that the plot is important to sort out. It isn't. Weronika (Irene Jacob) is a Polish woman who strives to be a great singer. Veronique (also Jacob) is a Parisian who is also drawn to music and shares an existential angst with her Polish counterpart. While the closest the two ever come to meeting is the shared experience of a violent protest in Krakow, they both understand intuitively that the other exists. Director Krzysztof Kieslowski creates a mesmerizing, ethereal, somewhat surreal viewing experience that is as visually stunning as anything he (or anyone else, for that matter) has produced. Throw logic out the window and allow the movie to wash over you as the two characters try to come terms with the fact that they are not alone in the world. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Audience Member This movie is a masterpiece. The plot is also interesting even-though there is not much suspense in it. The direction of Krzysztof Kieślowski and the ending is also magnificent. The cinematography of the film is state of the art for the 90s era. In addition, the title of the film is also relevant to the whole plot Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 04/16/22 Full Review William L In the world of Weronika and Véronique, lives are not limited to what we can smell, taste, see, and touch. Instead, existence is a tangle of invisible threads, linking people together in unexpected ways and implying an inherent 'unknowability' to the world around us. Dripping with a slow and dreamlike atmosphere (and a yellow tinge that makes you wonder if this is actually an American movie depicting Mexico), The Double Life of Véronique is consistently melancholy (depicting a series of characters that are tied closely, that indirectly benefit and suffer from each others' experiences, and that are destined never to meet), but shows a candid, romantic sensitivity that hints at deeper connections and a greater impact to our lives than perhaps we give ourselves credit for. Kieślowski delivers the careful arrangement and attention to detail of a true auteur in this film, which is rightly considered an arthouse masterpiece, deliviering profound insights through beautiful visuals that require little in the way of studio cash or A-list acting name recognition. (4.5/5) Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 12/30/21 Full Review Read all reviews
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Movie Info

Synopsis Veronique (Irène Jacob) is a beautiful young French woman who aspires to be a renowned singer; Weronika (also Jacob) lives in Poland, has a similar career goal and looks identical to Veronique, though the two are not related. The film follows both women as they contend with the ups and downs of their individual lives, with Veronique embarking on an unusual romance with Alexandre Fabbri (Philippe Volter), a puppeteer who may be able to help her with her existential issues.
Director
Krzysztof Kieslowski
Producer
Leonardo De La Fuente
Screenwriter
Krzysztof Kieslowski, Krzysztof Piesiewicz
Distributor
Miramax Films
Production Co
Canal+
Rating
R
Genre
Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
French (France)
Release Date (Theaters)
Nov 24, 1991, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Feb 17, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA)
$46.3K
Runtime
1h 37m
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