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Small Change

Play trailer Poster for Small Change PG 1976 1h 44m Comedy Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
90% Tomatometer 21 Reviews 86% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings
Filmed in the small French city of Thiers, François Truffaut's episodic comedy-drama concerns one of the director's favorite subjects: childhood. A class clown stalls the teacher long enough to avoid answering a question, a toddler ends up on a high window ledge, a little girl announces to the neighborhood that her parents are punishing her, and the new boy in school hides his poor, abusive home life in these intertwining stories illustrating the joys and sorrows of growing up.

Critics Reviews

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Pauline Kael The New Yorker 12/02/2023
This series of sketches on the general theme of resilience of children turns out to be that rarity -- a poetic comedy that's really funny. Go to Full Review Richard Brody The New Yorker 04/14/2020
Truffaut's sweetly affectionate and comedic mosaic of the lives of young children in a small French town is also a vision of a new era of humane and compassionate education-and a response to his own bitter experiences as a child. Go to Full Review Elliott Stein Film Comment Magazine 04/10/2018
1/4
Corny, cutesy, dull. The subtitles written by Helen Scott for Truffaut seemed awkward and illiterate. Go to Full Review David Dugas United Press International 08/06/2021
A modest little picture about children that is warmly affectionate and charming. Go to Full Review David Sterritt Christian Science Monitor 08/06/2021
[Small Change] is a romance, a satire, a farce, a lament, and a lecture. If it seems a minor work from such stature, it is no less fetching for all that. Go to Full Review David A. Nardozzi Philadelphia Gay News 05/26/2020
Small Change is an amorous recollection of childhood growth. Though certainly not destined to become a classic, it is assuredly not displeasing to view. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Yuvraj C 04/10/2023 Truffaut made it well before a decade of Iranian cinema. a tender story of childhood. There's a scene where a kid tells an adult joke to his pals in the ground during break he couldn't content his own laughter before telling it, what a sweet and innocent scene! See more 01/21/2020 Poignant and humorous, Truffaut's lovingly detailed account of childhood innocence in all its wondrous complexities still retains the power to move audiences more than 40 years later. A true masterpiece. See more 07/30/2019 It is a great movie. With the realistic CGI I thought it brought the animated classic to life. And I would recommend this movie to everyone of the age 6 and over See more 06/13/2015 The children under Truffaut are always likable. See more 09/01/2014 I longed for a story to contain these vignettes. The absence of any story arch means the vignettes are left to stand unsupported. Some do. Many don't. See more 09/12/2012 so cute! the subtitle suck- the french is much better! See more Read all reviews
Small Change

My Rating

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Cast & Crew

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François Truffaut

Director

Georges Desmouceaux

Patrick

Richard Golfier

Richard

Sylvie Grezel

Sylvie

Pascale Bruchon

Martine

Chantal Mercier

Chantal

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Small Change

Small Change (1976) Small Change (1976) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Filmed in the small French city of Thiers, François Truffaut's episodic comedy-drama concerns one of the director's favorite subjects: childhood. A class clown stalls the teacher long enough to avoid answering a question, a toddler ends up on a high window ledge, a little girl announces to the neighborhood that her parents are punishing her, and the new boy in school hides his poor, abusive home life in these intertwining stories illustrating the joys and sorrows of growing up.
Director
François Truffaut
Production Co
Les Films du Carrosse, Les Productions Artistes Associés
Rating
PG
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Original Language
Canadian French
Release Date (Streaming)
Jan 3, 2020
Box Office (Gross USA)
$38.3K
Runtime
1h 44m