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Sade

Play trailer Poster for Sade Released Apr 26, 2002 1h 37m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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68% Tomatometer 31 Reviews 58% Popcornmeter 1,000+ Ratings
1794. The Revolution has entered the bloodiest phase of the Terror, and the Marquis de Sade is once again in prison. There he prepares himself to be transferred to a detention center and rest home where he will relive one more time the highlights of his youth.

Critics Reviews

View All (31) Critics Reviews
J. R. Jones Chicago Reader In Benoit Jacquot’s excellent Sade, lissome French ingenue Isild Le Besco gave a seductive performance. Jun 29, 2022 Full Review Tom Sime Dallas Morning News Sade is Quills without the hyperbole and melodrama. Rated: B+ Mar 6, 2003 Full Review Wesley Morris Boston Globe It's a rosy coming-of-age romp that refuses to see the horror even in the severed heads from the guillotine. Rated: 3/4 Aug 30, 2002 Full Review Cole Smithey ColeSmithey.com Rated: 3/5 Jul 27, 2008 Full Review Film Threat Rated: 4/5 Dec 6, 2005 Full Review Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com Rated: 3/5 Aug 3, 2005 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (23) audience reviews
Audience Member Good film, interesting story, great cast & good direction. not the usual kind of story but still an enjoyable trip through the life of a very unusual man. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/26/23 Full Review Audience Member This film left me feeling rather empty...but it makes me wonder, was that the intention of the film? Neverthe less, I did like it. The parts at the nut house for the aristocrats and with Sade were interesting and gripping at points. Unfortunately, I thought Fournier's actor was very weak, nor did he even look like he was in the right era. I'd rather have seen more Robespierre and David preparing the Festival of the Supreme Being than him. He just dragged the production down for me. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 02/11/23 Full Review Audience Member It felt a lot like watching an episode of masterpiece theater. And in case you're wondering, no, I don't mean that in a good way. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 01/19/23 Full Review Audience Member Etrange optique que celle choisie par Benoit Jacquot pour son film consacre au sulfureux ecrivain du XVIIIe siecle. Il ne s'agit pas veritablement d'un biopic puisqu'il se concentre sur les quelques mois de captivite de Sade a la Maison Coignard. Il ne rend pas non plus justice a l'aura sulfureuse du marquis puisque sa mise en scene demeure tres academique et evite le voyeurisme et la provocation gratuite. Un film sur la Revolution francaise avec Sade comme pretexte alors ? Pas vraiment, puisque le contexte historique n'y est que superficiellement esquisse. Restent les idees de Sade, son atheisme forcene, sa haine du conformisme et son libertinage sans complexes, qui semblent etre les principales motivations du realisateur. Pourtant, meme ces elements ne sont pas traites de maniere tout a fait convaincante. Cet amoncellement de pistes explorees mais non concretisees ne parviennent pourtant pas a rendre le film foncierement deplaisant (merci le jeu d'acteur convaincant!), mais il est clair qu'il etait possible de traiter ce personnage avec bien plus de talent et de profondeur. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 02/05/23 Full Review Audience Member the film was weak, but i liked the acting, especially the small role of Gregoire Colin Rated 1 out of 5 stars 02/08/23 Full Review Audience Member impressed with Auteuil's acting (again) Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/17/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Sade

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Cast & Crew

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Movie Info

Synopsis 1794. The Revolution has entered the bloodiest phase of the Terror, and the Marquis de Sade is once again in prison. There he prepares himself to be transferred to a detention center and rest home where he will relive one more time the highlights of his youth.
Director
Benoît Jacquot
Producer
Patrick Godeau
Screenwriter
Serge Bramly, Jacques Fieschi, Bernard Minoret
Distributor
Empire Pictures
Production Co
TF1 Films Productions, Alicéléo, Le Studio Canal +, Cofimage 11
Genre
Drama
Original Language
Canadian French
Release Date (Theaters)
Apr 26, 2002, Original
Release Date (DVD)
Dec 9, 2003
Box Office (Gross USA)
$190.8K
Runtime
1h 37m
Sound Mix
Dolby SR, DTS, Dolby Digital, Dolby A, Surround