The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

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The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

PG-13

Released Dec 19, 2007

1h 52m

Biography

Drama

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94%

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176 Reviews

92%

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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.

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Critics Consensus

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

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Ben Kenigsberg

Time Out

Rated: 3/5

Nov 18, 2011

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Joshua Rothkopf

Time Out

Rated: 3/5

Nov 17, 2011

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Peter Bradshaw

Guardian

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

Rated: 5/5

Oct 18, 2008

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Martin Tsai

New York Sun

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

Apr 21, 2023

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Dan DiNicola

The Daily Gazette (Schenectady, NY)

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

Mar 22, 2021

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Richard Crouse

Richard Crouse

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.

Rated: 3.5/5

Jan 31, 2021

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Paul E

An incredible story told well. Definitely worth the watch.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

12/08/24

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Irving W

This movie is an amazing achievement!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/03/24

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KB B

This was a compelling movie but so sad.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/07/24

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Gareth v

An engaging, heartbreaking film that is about the celebration of life over the sense of loss.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

06/19/23

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Dave S

After suffering a catastrophic stroke, well-loved magazine editor Jean-Dominique Bauby finds himself the victim of locked-in syndrome, only able to communicate through the blinking of an eye. Julian Schnabel's The Diving Bell and the Butterfly is a disturbing but inspiring story of resilience and the power of the human spirit, a film that never stoops to maudlin and manipulative means to express its message. Schnabel wisely tells the story primarily from Bauby's point of view, using prolonged POV shots from the perspective of the patient and employing voiceovers to express Bauby's thoughts. Well-acted, ingeniously shot, and smartly written, it never fails to be thought-provoking.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

03/01/23

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Thomas M

The best international movie ever made!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/26/22

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Julian Schnabel

Director

Mathieu Amalric

Jean-Dominique Bauby

Emmanuelle Seigner

Celine Desmoulin

Marie-Josée Croze

Henriette Durand

Anne Consigny

Claude

Patrick Chesnais

Dr. Lepage

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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

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