The Life of Jesus

Released Oct 8, 1997

1h 36m

Drama

List

63%

Tomatometer

8 Reviews

63%

Audience Score

100+ Ratings

A group of bored, frustrated teenagers spend their time riding motorcycles around a drab city in northern France. They hurl insults at Arab immigrants, harass the weak and listlessly collect welfare. Gang leader Freddy (David Douche) has a crude sexual affair going with local girl Marie (Marjorie Cottreel). When a young Arab named Kader (Kader Chaatouf) expresses interest in Marie and she in turn responds to him, Freddy's gang is outraged, setting off a tragic chain of events.

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Lisa Nesselson

Variety

An uncompromising portrait of thwarted emotions and small-town tedium, The Life of Jesus is a luminous and disconcerting feature debut from scripter-helmer Bruno Dumont.

Mar 26, 2009

Full Review

Nick Schager

Lessons of Darkness

A harrowing vision of volatile youth bored to death.

Rated: B+

May 4, 2005

Full Review

Globe and Mail

Rated: 2.5/4

Apr 24, 2002

Full Review

Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

Rated: 3/5

Jun 17, 2005

Full Review

Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

Nothing happens.

Rated: C-

Jan 1, 2000

Full Review

Chris Grunden

Film Journal International

Only the most patient art-house audiences will appreciate Dumont's occasional cinematic grace which transcends the grim proceedings.

Jan 1, 2000

Full Review

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Audience Member

Freddy & his friends are all unemployed. They try to pass away the time by wandering around on their motorcycles & by directing their aggressive feelings towards Arabic immigrants. Freddy is in love with Marie, a cashier at a local supermarket. When she is mad at Freddy & starts dating Kader, an young Arab man, Freddy & his friends have an idea: they decide to punish Kader for what they call "such a provocation." After they have raped another girl, Marie finally commits to Kader, which seals his fate. Freddy & Marie (played by David Douche & Marjorie Cottreel) are two teenagers with their futures uncertain & their present undefined. They ride motorbikes, they have sex â communication like any other sort. But in their hometown of Bailleul in Flanders, where news from the world-at-large disappears just as quickly as it drifts in, death proves to be inescapable & decidedly permanent. As the filmâs powerful climax unfolds, the viewer will come away with his or her own interpretation of how the life of Christ has figured into the story of Freddy & Marie â a contemplation on mercy. This is probably the most interesting film I've ever seen about boredom. It has much in common with some of the films of Bresson, presenting an environment of extreme emptiness, all the while finding its own rhythm & fee. It is beautifully filmed with great vistas of the Bailleul Flanders area. (Where a lot of the French painters painted) Itâs a slow story not much happens but I found it very interesting & it kept me interested. Freddy is a strange guy with his epilepsy & liking for brutal sex which does nothing for the needs of his girlfriend. He has great tenderness for his finch but a hatred of Arabs. Mom does not go far enough in making him work. It is such an interesting film I am sure I will watch his others soon. It is hard to believe that this is the debut feature film of Dumont. Dumont included extreme close-ups of penetration to emphasize the animal nature of the sex act. 5 stars

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/25/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Freddy & his friends are all unemployed. They try to pass away the time by wandering around on their motorcycles & by directing their aggressive feelings towards Arabic immigrants. Freddy is in love with Marie, a cashier at a local supermarket. When she is mad at Freddy & starts dating Kader, an young Arab man, Freddy & his friends have an idea: they decide to punish Kader for what they call "such a provocation." After they have raped another girl, Marie finally commits to Kader, which seals his fate. Freddy & Marie (played by David Douche & Marjorie Cottreel) are two teenagers with their futures uncertain & their present undefined. They ride motorbikes, they have sex - communication like any other sort. But in their hometown of Bailleul in Flanders, where news from the world-at-large disappears just as quickly as it drifts in, death proves to be inescapablea & decidedly permanent. As the film's powerful climax unfolds, the viewer will come away with his or her own interpretation of how the life of Christ has figured into the story of Freddy & Marie - a contemplation on mercy. This is probably the most interesting film I've ever seen about boredom. It has much in common with some of the films of Bresson, presenting an environment of extreme emptiness, all the while finding its own rhythm & fee. It is beautifully filmed with great vistas of the Bailleul Flanders area. (Where a lot of the French painters painted) It's a slow story not much happens but I found it very interesting & it kept me interested. Freddy is a strange guy with his epilepsy & liking for brutal sex which does nothing for the needs of his girlfriend. He has great tenderness for his finch but a hatred of Arabs. Mom does not go far enough in making him work. It is such an interesting film I am sure I will watch his others soon. It is hard to believe that this is the debut feature film of Dumont. Dumont included extreme close-ups of penetration to emphasize the animal nature of the sex act. 5 stars

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

This movie had some potential but it didn't work very well. Most of the characters were quite unlikeable and depressing and they stayed that way throughout the whole story. It also had a badly written ending.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

02/18/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Bitter, simple and honest. Beautifully shot with a barrenness reminiscent of Badlands in places. A slice of life showing the strangeness of Belgium, the anomie of society and the beauty of rural Flanders

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/05/23

Full Review

Audience Member

I don't suppose there's much horribly wrong with this film, it's a film about boredom and I guess it works, because it was pretty boring. I found the protagonist to be wholly unsympathetic, and significantly less charismatic than The Butcher of Seul Contre Tous, even though both are pretty damn distasteful creatures.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/12/23

Full Review

Audience Member

I expected more from this film, it has nice shootings and is interesting in terms of depicting social reality in Northern France, but lacks dramaturgy and general idea to make it more than just a mere, technical narration. I guess, I didn't really like it!

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/05/23

Full Review

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Bruno Dumont

Director

David Douche

Actor

Marjorie Cottreel

Actor

Genevieve Cottreel

Actor

Kader Chaatouf

Actor

Sebastien Delbaere

Actor

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Synopsis

A group of bored, frustrated teenagers spend their time riding motorcycles around a drab city in northern France. They hurl insults at Arab immigrants, harass the weak and listlessly collect welfare. Gang leader Freddy (David Douche) has a crude sexual affair going with local girl Marie (Marjorie Cottreel). When a young Arab named Kader (Kader Chaatouf) expresses interest in Marie and she in turn responds to him, Freddy's gang is outraged, setting off a tragic chain of events.

Director: Bruno Dumont
Screenwriter: Bruno Dumont
Genre: Drama
Original Language: French (Canada)
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 8, 1997, Wide
Runtime: 1h 36m