The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

Play trailer

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

PG-13

2007

1h 52m

Biography

Drama

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

94%

Tomatometer

176 Reviews

92%

Popcornmeter

100,000+ Ratings

Jean-Dominique Bauby (Mathieu Amalric), editor-in-chief of French fashion bible Elle magazine, has a devastating stroke at age 43. The damage to his brain stem results in locked-in syndrome, with which he is almost completely paralyzed and only able to communicate by blinking an eye. Bauby painstakingly dictates his memoir via the only means of expression left to him.

Watch on Fandango

Stream Now

Critics Consensus

Breathtaking visuals and dynamic performances make The Diving Bell and the Butterfly a powerful biopic.

Read Critics Reviews

Peter Bradshaw

Guardian

Oct 18, 2008

5/5

Nothing in director Julian Schnabel's career so far has anticipated the sweetness, sadness, maturity and restraint of this lovely movie.

Go to Full Review

Peter Howell

Toronto Star

Oct 18, 2008

3.5/4

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly is one of the best movies of 2007, but I'd argue it's also the one most in tune with what this season of goodwill and tolerance is supposed to be all about.

Go to Full Review

Alan Morrison

Empire Magazine

Feb 8, 2008

4/5

A poignant reflection on what it means to be alive and, visually, a true cinematic experience.

Go to Full Review

Martin Tsai

New York Sun

Apr 21, 2023

Mr. Schnabel’s film is groundbreaking in its rendering of that interior life.

Go to Full Review

Dan DiNicola

The Daily Gazette (Schenectady, NY)

Mar 22, 2021

The movie's overwhelming achievement is its evocation of a life and events without wallowing in any kind of pity or histrionic melodrama.

Go to Full Review

Richard Crouse

Richard Crouse

Jan 31, 2021

3.5/5

Never stoops to audience manipulation, it simply presents the story in a simple, heartfelt way and allows the viewer to follow their own feelings rather than have the filmmaker try to tell them how they should be reacting.

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

Joy B.

@9mr_0 Jan 6, 2026

جميل جدا . هو مو قصة بكد ما هي رحلة انسانية نعيشها مع البطل ابدع المخرج في تصوير هذه الرحلة وجعلني كمشاهد اتعايش مع هذا القصة مو فقط اشاهدها . اداء تمثيلي قوي للبطل وتطور شخصيتة كان متزن و مدررس . الشخصيات الثانوية ابدعت بادوارها و اضافوا عمق درامي للفلم . المخرج استخدم الكامرة بشكل عبقري جعلها كممثل في الفلم ابدع بتصوير متزن و هادىء . الموسقى كانت رائعة و تتناسب مع المشهد . الفلم ايقاعة بطيىء بشكل جميل وبعيد عن اي ملل.

See more

Mike M

@Mikespike Nov 23, 2025

Reason why I don’t recommend this movie is that the closed captions is in English but speaking in French. It doesn’t exactly match.

See more

David Lee K

@RT17066284 Jun 21, 2025

The Diving Bell and The Butterfly is a visually stunning film about the resilience of the human spirit. Based on the true story of Jean-Dominique Bauby, who was editor of the French fashion magazine Elle, the movie turns what could be a tale of tragedy into one of beauty, imagination, and freedom. Despite being almost completely paralyzed after a stroke at the age of 43, Bauby’s mind keeps going through memory, fantasy, and love, showing us that the beauty of life can still be found in unexpected places. Director Julian Schnabel’s poetic style, and the hauntingly tender performance by Mathieu Amalric, makes this film not just a story of survival, but of transformation. It is a heartbreaking but ultimately uplifting little masterpiece.

See more

Stephen C

@bob25009 Jun 9, 2025

Success in 1 hour and 52 minutes!!!!!! Rated PG-13 for Sexual Content, Nudity and Some Language!!!!!!!!!!!!!! In French (France) and English versions with English subtitles!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Based on a true story!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

See more

Paul E

@PassoutTomatoes Dec 8, 2024

An incredible story told well. Definitely worth the watch.

See more

KB B

@Okbullard Jan 7, 2024

This was a compelling movie but so sad.

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

POST RATING

Julian Schnabel

Director

Mathieu Amalric

Jean-Dominique Bauby

Emmanuelle Seigner

Celine Desmoulin

Marie-Josée Croze

Henriette Durand

Anne Consigny

Claude

Patrick Chesnais

Dr. Lepage

The Soloist

56%

56%

The Soloist

Watchlist

TRAILER

for The Soloist

Creation

47%

49%

Creation

Watchlist

The Sea Inside

85%

92%

The Sea Inside

Watchlist

Flash of Genius

62%

55%

Flash of Genius

Watchlist

And When Did You Last See Your Father?

72%

64%

And When Did You Last See Your Father?

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

View more photos

Synopsis

Jean-Dominique Bauby (Mathieu Amalric), editor-in-chief of French fashion bible Elle magazine, has a devastating stroke at age 43. The damage to his brain stem results in locked-in syndrome, with which he is almost completely paralyzed and only able to communicate by blinking an eye. Bauby painstakingly dictates his memoir via the only means of expression left to him.

Director: Julian Schnabel
Producer: Kathleen Kennedy, Jon Kilik
Screenwriter: Ronald Harwood, Jean-Dominique Bauby
Distributor: Miramax Films
Production Co: CRRAV, Pathé, Pictanovo, France 3 Cinéma
Rating: PG-13 (Sexual Content|Nudity|Some Language)
Genre: Biography, Drama
Original Language: French (France)
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 19, 2007, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 21, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $6.0M
Runtime: 1h 52m

Join The Newsletter

Join The Newsletter

Cookie Settings