Nenette and Boni

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Nenette and Boni

1997

1h 43m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

86%

Tomatometer

14 Reviews

78%

Popcornmeter

250+ Ratings

Boni (Grégoire Colin) spends his days making pizza and salivating over the local baker's gorgeous wife (Valeria Bruni-Tedeschi). But everything changes when he gets an unexpected visit from his teenage sister, Nenette (Alice Houri). Known for making trouble, the girl has run away from her boarding school. She wants to stay with Boni, and he eventually agrees. As the estranged pair reconnect, Boni gets some news that puts his life in perspective: his little sister is pregnant.

Bill Weber

Slant Magazine

A sibling drama of unsentimental urban grit and swooning lyricism.

Rated: 3.5/4

May 25, 2009

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Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

[Claire Denis] feels affection for the characters, especially Boni, and is very familiar with them. Maybe that's why she feels free to tell the story so indirectly.

Rated: 3/4

Jan 1, 2000

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Ryne Clos

Spectrum Culture

With her final early-career film prior to her mega-breakout a couple of years later, Denis offers us a glimpse of her subversive and efficacious approach to gender and sexuality.

May 2, 2022

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Deborah Hornblow

Hartford Courant

French director Claire Denis has fashioned a quietly thrilling, unexpectedly poignant film with Nenette et Boni, a simple tale of a family reunion that earns its distinction in the telling.

May 25, 2018

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Aaron Hillis

GreenCine

It's a melodramatic premise on paper that, in the wrong hands, might have succumbed to the sensationalism of its mildly incestuous undertones.

Rated: 6/10

Nov 17, 2009

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Rob Nelson

Nashville Scene

The films of French director Claire Denis often chart the flow of energy between two dissimilar people while contemplating their place within the larger community.

Aug 24, 2009

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Audience Member

interesting coming of age tale edgy & gritty

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

02/25/23

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Audience Member

Denis inszeniert so leichtfÃ 1/4Ãig wie selten, und verbirgt im Kern dieses luftigen, farbenfrohen Films ein gewaltsames inzestuÃ¶ses Drama - ohne es auch nur mit einem Wort konkret werden zu lassen und so an die OberflÃ¤che der ErzÃ¤hlung zu holen. Zwar ist NÃNETTE ET BONI gleichwohl ein Ã 1/4berraschend geradliniger Film - im Rahmen von Denis' Werk -, aber die wunderbar unkonzentrierte, schweifende ErzÃ¤hlung lÃ¤sst in keinem Moment Zweifel daran, dass es noch unzÃ¤hlige andere Geschichten gÃ¤be, die ebenso gut erzÃ¤hlt werden kÃ¶nnten.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/11/23

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Audience Member

Unusual, dreamy, and immersive. Claire Denis keeps a grip on the audience's senses while venturing into edgy subject material. The performances are naturalistic and powerful, and the music by Tindersticks underlines the overall tone of the film. A beautiful, surprising, compelling film.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/15/23

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Audience Member

THe scene where the pregnant teen is looking at her belly under the covers and sees or at least imagines it bulge where the baby is kicking is so good. There are some other good scenes here too and it's funny that everyone pretty much stays unlikeable like they would in real life but you kinda like them anyway. It's an accomplishment. Also you'll never look at pizza dough the same way again.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/20/23

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Audience Member

A simple tale of domestic dysfunction and coming-of-age, but done Claire Denis style... that is to say, dreamy and impressionistic, full of humour, eroticism and fondness towards its troubled characters, especially the one played wonderfully by Gregoire Colin. Lovely score by Tindersticks, too.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

01/20/23

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Audience Member

I really didn't care for movie whole duration. 85% Flixter users liked it??? So it is just me then?

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

02/03/23

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Claire Denis

Director

Grégoire Colin

Boni

Alice Houri

Nénette

Valeria Bruni Tedeschi

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Monsieur Luminaire

Beau travail

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Synopsis

Boni (Grégoire Colin) spends his days making pizza and salivating over the local baker's gorgeous wife (Valeria Bruni-Tedeschi). But everything changes when he gets an unexpected visit from his teenage sister, Nenette (Alice Houri). Known for making trouble, the girl has run away from her boarding school. She wants to stay with Boni, and he eventually agrees. As the estranged pair reconnect, Boni gets some news that puts his life in perspective: his little sister is pregnant.

Director: Claire Denis
Producer: Georges Benayoun
Screenwriter: Claire Denis, Jean-Pol Fargeau
Distributor: Strand Releasing
Genre: Drama
Original Language: Canadian French
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 19, 1997, Original
Release Date (DVD): May 26, 2009
Box Office (Gross USA): $61.9K
Runtime: 1h 43m
Sound Mix: Surround, Stereo
Aspect Ratio: 35mm