The French Italian

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The French Italian

Oct 2025

1h 32m

Comedy

Drama

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64%

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11 Reviews

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Fewer than 50 Ratings

Valerie and Doug (Cat Cohen & Aristotle Athari) are a long-time couple in their 30s who live in a teeny tiny New York City apartment, where they are frequently annoyed by their loud downstairs neighbors, a younger couple (Chloe Cherry & Jon Rudnitsky) who fight all the time and, oh yeah, sing karaoke constantly.... Valerie and Doug hate them, but at the same time are totally obsessed with understanding the couple's volatile dynamic. After months of being tortured, they give up their apartment and move to the suburbs, looking forward to resuming their lives and focusing on careers and friendships. But first, a little revenge. One of the neighbors, Mary, is an actress, so with the help of a theater-minded friend named Wendy (played by Ruby McCollister), Val and Doug decide to put on a fake play to humiliate her. However, the two soon get sucked into the process of producing theater and start to believe that becoming artists is their true calling.

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Christian Zilko

IndieWire

The film appears to be made by and for the kinds of people who might find themselves in a similar state of cozy ennui. If you’re drowning in comfort, you might find “The French Italian” to be a comforting watch.

Rated: C+

Oct 6, 2025

Full Review

Sankeerthna Vedamtam

MovieJawn

With a wonderfully acerbic tone and satisfying punches from its cast of characters, The French Italian encapsulates what lessons the small inconveniences of life can – or very much can’t – teach a person about themselves.

Oct 14, 2025

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Valerie Kalfrin

AWFJ.org

even someone who’s never lived in a city will appreciate the less-than-charitable dynamic here about the assumptions we make regarding those living around us

Sep 30, 2025

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Hayley Croke

Loud and Clear Reviews

The French Italian is a phenomenally told story that shines a light on the lies we tell to make ourselves feel better and the judgment we cast on others in hopes of escaping the judgment others may cast on us.

Rated: 4.5/5

Dec 9, 2024

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Brittany Patrice Witherspoon

Pop Culture Reviews

The film is 92 minutes of cringe-worthy behavior and dialogue that never seem to end.

Rated: 2/5

Jul 28, 2024

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Abe Friedtanzer

The Film Experience

There are echoes of reality in the circumstances that fuel this film’s plot, and where it goes once its characters decide to act, especially towards the end of the film, is far less believable but still decent fun.

Rated: B-

Jul 27, 2024

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Simon

really grating audio

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

10/18/25

Full Review

DBee

This appeared to be an amateur film by a couple of millennials. It was in a word...pathetic.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

10/16/25

Full Review

Ranny L

I like the film The French Italian because of its humorous touches, real-world examples, and the two main characters’ unrealistic opinions of what they believe to be an amazing play. The story takes place in modern day New York City, and follows a couple, Valerie (Cat Cohen), and Doug (Aristotle Athari), who are antagonized by their downstairs neighbor (Jon Rudnitsky), and his new girlfriend, Mary (Chloe Cherry). When they find out that Mary is an actress, Valerie and Doug come up with a plan to get revenge on her, by writing a fake play and casting her in it. They write the play as a joke, but get really into it, envisioning themselves as great playwrights. The play takes place, but Mary finds out about their plan and leaves, and eventually, the play is a success as a one man show starring their other actor, Joe (Ikechukwu Ufomadu). The story really symbolizes real-world examples of getting too caught up in something, and believing yourself to be a genius. One aspect that really impressed me is how it manages to portray the characters in a way that is both comedic and authentic. Although the acting is generally impressive, a few characters don’t seem to portray any emotion throughout the film, such as Mary, who just looks bored throughout the entire film. My favorite part is when the play takes place, starring Joe, and is a complete success, due to its humor that made both the audience in the film and me laugh. My least favorite part is when Mary and her boyfriend are fighting, and prevent Valerie and Doug from getting any sleep. The film’s message is about realistic expectations, and not overestimating your abilities. It also reminds us to be self aware. Be forewarned that there are some references to adult concepts, mild nudity, language, and drinking. I give The French Italian 3.5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 12 to 18. It will be available on VOD starting on October 28, 2025. By Elsy S., KIDS FIRST!

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

10/28/25

Full Review

Stephen C

Funny in 1 hour and 32 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Dubbed and subtitled in worldwide studios!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/28/25

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Rachel Wolther

Director

Catherine Cohen

Valerie

Aristotle Athari

Doug

Chloe Cherry

Mary

Ruby McCollister

Wendy

Jonathan Rudnitsky

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Synopsis

Valerie and Doug (Cat Cohen & Aristotle Athari) are a long-time couple in their 30s who live in a teeny tiny New York City apartment, where they are frequently annoyed by their loud downstairs neighbors, a younger couple (Chloe Cherry & Jon Rudnitsky) who fight all the time and, oh yeah, sing karaoke constantly.... Valerie and Doug hate them, but at the same time are totally obsessed with understanding the couple's volatile dynamic. After months of being tortured, they give up their apartment and move to the suburbs, looking forward to resuming their lives and focusing on careers and friendships. But first, a little revenge. One of the neighbors, Mary, is an actress, so with the help of a theater-minded friend named Wendy (played by Ruby McCollister), Val and Doug decide to put on a fake play to humiliate her. However, the two soon get sucked into the process of producing theater and start to believe that becoming artists is their true calling.

Director: Rachel Wolther
Producer: Miranda Kahn
Screenwriter: Rachel Wolther
Distributor: Level 33 Entertainment
Production Co: Mirmade Productions
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 3, 2025, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 28, 2025
Runtime: 1h 32m

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