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How to Be a Good Wife

Play trailer Poster for How to Be a Good Wife 2020 1h 49m Comedy Play Trailer Watchlist
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67% Tomatometer 12 Reviews 13% Popcornmeter Fewer than 50 Ratings
A woman starts to question the suppressed status of females while running a housekeeping school for teenage girls in 1968 France.
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How to Be a Good Wife

Critics Reviews

View All (12) Critics Reviews
Jonathan Romney Screen International A breezy, well-intentioned but ultimately laborious comic vehicle for Juliette Binoche. Jan 23, 2020 Full Review Valerie Kalfrin AWFJ.org "an overall uneven mix of imagery and manners. ... the film swings between comedy and an awakening toward gender equality without focusing enough on its characters to make for a rewarding journey." Rated: 3/5 Mar 21, 2023 Full Review Jane Freebury The Canberra Times (Australia) Despite a backstory and a title that might suggest otherwise, How to Be a Good Wife is not inconsistent with the director's tradition of spirited female characters. He's just managed way more laughs this time. Aug 22, 2022 Full Review James Croot Stuff.co.nz The little-bit-too-tidy ending and musical denouement may be too much for some, but there are certainly enough memorable moments - and Binoche - to make this worth considering venturing out for. Rated: 3.5/5 Aug 5, 2021 Full Review Sarah Ward Concrete Playground It's easy to smile and internally cheer along with How to Be a Good Wife (and to revel in its period costuming and decor, too), but it's also just as easy to see when and where it overplays its comedic hand. Feb 22, 2021 Full Review Carlos Marañón Cinemanía (Spain) Overacting has even caught up with Juliette Binoche. [Full review in Spanish] Rated: 2.5/5 Jan 4, 2021 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (4) audience reviews
Robson C Paulette e o seu marido possuem uma escola que ensina às meninas a se tornarem donas de casas perfeitas. Porém, a escola passa por dificuldades com a diminuição do número de matrículas e, quando o seu marido morre, Paulette descobre que a escola está falida devido a péssima administração dele. Paulette se vê obrigada a sair do papel de esposa e dona de casa e tornar-se uma administradora. Para isso, ela conta com a ajuda da sua cunhada e da irmã Marie-Thérèse. Ao mesmo tempo, estamos às vésperas das revoluções estudantis de 1968, que abalou as estruturas da sociedade francesa. Podemos dividir o filme em 2 momentos. Em um primeiro, é a continuidade do status quo. As alunas recebem aulas de serem boas esposas: aprendem a cozinhar, boas maneiras, a bordar, a cerzir, etc. Porém, estamos em 1967. A revolução sexual está acontecendo. Greves e revoltas abalam Paris. O mundo de faz de conta de Paulette e sua equipe docente. Após a morte do marido de Paulette, inicia a segunda parte do filme. Paulette reencontra com um amor do passado, antes de se casar. Ela se vê obrigada a fazer coisas que o marido a proíbia, como administrar a escola, dirigir um carro e usar calça comprida. Os tempos modernos batem à sua porta. E aí o filme me perde um pouco, o final acho apressado e fora da realidade (a solução adotada é muito artificial). Outra coisa: nós vemos as mudanças em Paulette, mas em Gilberte e Marie-Thérèse parecem falsas. As questões das alunas não são desenvolvidas e nem mesmo concluídas, sendo substituído por um final irreal. É um filme divertido. O elenco está muito bem e Juliete Binoche é um prazer vê-la interpretar mesmo em um personagem que acaba soando irreal às vezes. É triste ver que, no século 21, temos pessoas que desejam que as mulheres retornem a algo ilusório, mesmo naquele tempo. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 11/12/23 Full Review Chris J MOVIE REVIEW How to Be a Good Wife (La bonne épouse) – Genre: Comedy, Drama Year Released: 2020/2023 Runtime: 1h 48m Director(s): Martin Provost Writer(s): Martin Provost, Séverine Werba Cast: Juliette Binoche, Yolande Moreau, Noémie Lvovsky, Edouard Baer, François Berléand Language: French w/English subtitles Where To Watch: US release TBA RAVING REVIEW: Martin Provost's latest offering, HOW TO BE A GOOD WIFE, takes a unique look at the social norms and traditional gender roles of 1960s France. The film transports audiences to the Alsace-Moselle region of France in 1967. It follows the story of Madame Paulette Van der Beck, played by the incomparable Juliette Binoche, who must step up to run her late husband's school. The film is set against the backdrop of the nationwide student protests of May 1968, which would change the country forever. With the support of a team of nuns, Paulette tries to tackle this impossible task as the film sets the stage for a roller-coaster of problems as traditional values to collide with the progressive ideas of the time. The film opens with Paulette lecturing her students about the basics of being "a good wife." the humor in the movie is a hit-or-miss mix, with some moments being iconic and others missing the mark. Binoche shines in her role as the "good wife," whose exterior begins to crack as she is exposed to the temptations and desires of her free-spirited students. Binoche delivers a powerful and emotional performance as she brings to life Paulette's struggle to reconcile her traditional role with her newfound world. Paulette's life takes an unexpected turn with the arrival of an old acquaintance, and the film shifts tones (this won't be the last time) as she tries to balance the reappearance of her friend with her duties at the school. The supporting cast, particularly the young actors, adds depth to the film's coming-of-age narrative and parallels Paulette's journey of self-discovery. I was particularly impressed with how natural, so many of the young cast felt. In conclusion, HOW TO BE A GOOD WIFE is a comedic film that offers a thought-provoking commentary on France in the 60s and the roles that women were expected to play. The film's end will either be a hit or a total miss for some viewers, intended to shock and take the viewer out of the path the film had been going down. For more reviews and my YouTube channel, please visit linktr.ee/Overlyhonestmoviereviews Follow me on Letterboxd, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. Find my social media accounts on most platforms simply by searching Overly Honest Movie Reviews. I'm always happy to hear from my readers; please say hi or send me any questions about movies. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/23/23 Full Review Audience Member Laborious.... some funny bits but on the whole a tad overdone! Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 01/19/23 Full Review Audience Member I am a great fan of French film making but know that they, like anyone else, are quite capable of producing the occasional dog of a movie - this sad, woeful, amateur effort bears that out. I managed about forty minutes before walking out. Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 02/04/23 Full Review Read all reviews
How to Be a Good Wife

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Cast & Crew

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Movie Info

Synopsis A woman starts to question the suppressed status of females while running a housekeeping school for teenage girls in 1968 France.
Director
Martin Provost
Producer
François Kraus, Denis Pineau-Valencienne
Screenwriter
Martin Provost, Séverine Werba
Production Co
Umedia, Les Films du Kiosque, Orange Studio, France 3 Cinéma
Genre
Comedy
Original Language
French (France)
Release Date (Streaming)
Mar 10, 2023
Runtime
1h 49m
Aspect Ratio
Scope (2.35:1)
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