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War of the Buttons

Play trailer Poster for War of the Buttons PG-13 2012 1h 39m Adventure History Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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25% Tomatometer 24 Reviews 42% Popcornmeter 1,000+ Ratings
In World War II France, the leader (Jean Texier) of a children's gang falls for a Jewish girl, leading his gang and their rivals to consider putting aside their differences in order to protect her from the Nazis.
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War of the Buttons

Critics Reviews

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Joe Williams St. Louis Post-Dispatch Although it's updated to World War II and alludes to the Holocaust, this golden-hued remembrance is about as horrific as "Hogan's Heroes." Rated: 2/4 Oct 31, 2012 Full Review Tom Keogh Seattle Times Barratier can't seem to do anything with it other than keep raising the violence and anger. Rated: 2/4 Oct 25, 2012 Full Review Tom Russo Boston Globe The two threads aren't really woven together into the sort of tight, overarching theme that the film seems built to convey. Rated: 2/4 Oct 25, 2012 Full Review Nicholas Bell IONCINEMA.com This "family adventure" is exactly the type of yarn made for adults too uncomfortable with revealing the truth of a cruel world to the little beings they've brought into it. Aug 5, 2019 Full Review Sandie Angulo Chen Common Sense Media WWII drama is overly cute but has worthy lessons for tweens. Rated: 3/5 Oct 25, 2012 Full Review Peg Aloi Boston Phoenix The cast is fine, especially the boys, and the cinematography lush and wistful, but the score is pure fromage and the storyline sacrifices tension for romance. Rated: 2.5/4 Oct 25, 2012 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Obi-wan K Fuckass movie basic normal ass plot Rated 1 out of 5 stars 05/02/25 Full Review lanfranco c A classic "Bildungsroman" ! Rated 2 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review walter m In "War of the Buttons," boys will be boys. In this case, it is rural France and boys from one town wage a campaign against those from another town. What starts out with graffiti gets increasingly violent. In the meantime, there is a real war going on in 1944, with France being occupied by the Nazis. And Simone(Laetitia Casta) takes the opportunity to enroll her goddaughter Violette(Ilona Bachelier) at the local school. "War of the Buttons" is a movie that is somehow simultaneously cloying and heavy-handed.(And as a proud coward, I resent it whenever somebody is called out for their cowardice.) Throughout, the movie is resolutely sentimental about a trying time for many people. In this case, the characters seem very naive about what has been going on for the previous four years of occupation. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member Acceptable, not too naive or kiddish. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 02/04/23 Full Review Audience Member Not sure that setting this version during WWII was really necessary -- the book is much earlier, and this movie, while somewhat following, does not come close to the 1962 version. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/14/23 Full Review Audience Member A 2011 version of "War of The Buttons" isn't as good as the 1994 version and 1962 version. There's some a disappointing moment such as replacing the best scene with another version that is unacceptable (you should see the older remake and the original ones, and you'd know), different final scene that never did better than the older and a more sentimental story. But as the concept, this film always entertaining and funny. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/05/23 Full Review Read all reviews
War of the Buttons

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Cast & Crew

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Christophe Barratier

Director

Laetitia Casta

Simone

Guillaume Canet

Teacher

Kad Merad

Lebrac's Father

Gérard Jugnot

L'Aztec's Father

Jean Texier

Lebrac
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War of the Buttons

War of the Buttons (2011) War of the Buttons (2011) War of the Buttons (2011) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis In World War II France, the leader (Jean Texier) of a children's gang falls for a Jewish girl, leading his gang and their rivals to consider putting aside their differences in order to protect her from the Nazis.
Director
Christophe Barratier
Producer
Thomas Langmann
Screenwriter
Thomas Langmann, Christophe Barratier, Stephane Keller
Distributor
Weinstein Co.
Production Co
Mars Film
Rating
PG-13 (Some Thematic Elements|Language)
Genre
Adventure, History, Drama
Original Language
French (France)
Release Date (Theaters)
Oct 12, 2012, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Sep 17, 2013
Runtime
1h 39m
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