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      The Promised Life

      2002 1h 34m Drama List
      45% 20 Reviews Tomatometer 49% 500+ Ratings Audience Score Single mother Sylvia (Isabelle Huppert) provides for her daughter, Laurence (Maud Forget), by working as a prostitute in the city of Nice, France. When Laurence rescues her mother by plunging a knife into a violent pimp, the two flee the city and seek out Sylvia's ex-husband, Piotr (André Marcon), in northern France. Once reunited, the family struggles to begin a new life together in spite of the potency of the tragedies and failures that have torn them apart. Read More Read Less

      Audience Reviews

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      Audience Member Olivier Dahan's feature film debut is gorgeous to look at, but not all that interesting to watch. That being said, Huppert does manage to give a strong turn that almost makes this film good. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 02/22/23 Full Review Audience Member Isabelle Huppert never fails to entertain. She is sublime in everything including this film. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/23/23 Full Review Audience Member love this film! it was the first film that made me want to be a director! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/14/23 Full Review Audience Member LA VIE PROMISE (THE PROMISED LIFE) 2-1/2 stars [aka 'Ghost River'/(2002)France/2004 USA release] - (1 hr. 34 min.) - IMDb rating: 6.2 (out of 10) [In French (subtitled)] Directed by Olivier Dahan Screenplay by Agnes Fustier-Dahan Character/Cast Sylvia - Isabelle Huppert Joshua - Pascal Greggory Laurence - Maud Forget Sandra - Fabienne Babe Piotr - Andre Marcon Blonde-ing of Huppert? Mini-Review: Premise of a hooker (and mother) seems worn thin, but the anti-role model 'Sylvia' is wonderfully portrayed by the effervescent Isabelle Huppert ("The Piano Teacher") who manages to sustain a three-dimensional character throughout. You might call this a downbeat French chickflick, but there are some choice moments to savor and some wonderfully evocative music too. Worth a rental if it ever comes that way in the USA, otherwise a MUST-SEE for the growing legion of Huppert fans. Is there any role that woman can't play to perfection? I wonder. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/06/23 Full Review Audience Member Artsy fartsy tripe. At the end of the film, I knew little more about the characters than at the beginning and cared about them even less. Very disapointing for an Isabelle Huppert film. Rated 1 out of 5 stars 02/21/23 Full Review Audience Member Just your regular run of the mill story about a dysfunctional family on the road. Man is stabbed by accident, past grievances get reconciled, faith in humanity is restored through a unlikely show of kindness, the audience is encouraged to cry by saturating the screen with heavy doses of mother's longing for her child, but in the end a heartwarming, yet tentative mutual love is expressed between child and mother. I suppose this movie was made so Madame Huppert can do a role that is not so bourgeous for a change. The music was bad and too copiously used. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 01/29/23 Full Review Read all reviews Post a rating

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      The Promised Life

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      Critics Reviews

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      Ty Burr Boston Globe There is nothing [Huppert] can't do -- except save Promise from the valley of the shadow of bad French movie pretensions. Rated: 1.5/4 Jul 2, 2004 Full Review Steve Davis Austin Chronicle Rated: 2/5 Jun 5, 2004 Full Review Mick LaSalle San Francisco Chronicle Like an old Hollywood star vehicle, this French import does its job, providing its lead actress with compelling emotional circumstances and its audience with arresting contexts through which to perceive her. Rated: 3/4 Apr 23, 2004 Full Review Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews Promises more than it can deliver. Rated: C+ Dec 17, 2004 Full Review Paul Sherman Boston Herald Rated: 2/4 Jul 3, 2004 Full Review Robin Clifford Reeling Reviews La Vie Promise is a road movie that holds little of the hope of its title despite its almost upbeat ending. Rated: C+ Jun 21, 2004 Full Review Read all reviews

      Movie Info

      Synopsis Single mother Sylvia (Isabelle Huppert) provides for her daughter, Laurence (Maud Forget), by working as a prostitute in the city of Nice, France. When Laurence rescues her mother by plunging a knife into a violent pimp, the two flee the city and seek out Sylvia's ex-husband, Piotr (André Marcon), in northern France. Once reunited, the family struggles to begin a new life together in spite of the potency of the tragedies and failures that have torn them apart.
      Director
      Olivier Dahan
      Screenwriter
      Agnès Fustier-Dahan
      Production Co
      Bac Films
      Genre
      Drama
      Original Language
      French (France)
      Release Date (DVD)
      Nov 23, 2004
      Box Office (Gross USA)
      $39.2K
      Runtime
      1h 34m