Two Pianos

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Two Pianos

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1h 55m

Drama

Romance

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74%

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19 Reviews

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Fewer than 50 Ratings

After years of self-imposed exile, pianist Mathias (François Civil) returns to France, where his former mentor, Eléna (Charlotte Rampling), has invited him to perform a series of concerts with her in his hometown of Lyon. Once a rising star of the French musical scene and Eléna's prized pupil, Mathias has spent many years teaching and performing in Japan. Soon after his arrival, a chance encounter with a child who looks just like him throws Mathias into turmoil, threatening to drag him down, and leads him back to his first love, Claude (Nadia Tereszkiewicz). French master Arnaud Desplechin (My Sex Life..., A Christmas Tale) returns to some of his favorite themes -- psychologically charged homecomings and unexpected reunions (romantic and otherwise) -- in this sensual, Hitchcockian melodrama featuring one of Rampling's most delicious roles in years.

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Matt Zoller Seitz

RogerEbert.com

6d

3.5/4

The main characters in 'Two Pianos’ are mostly disasters …But they all have redeeming qualities, and their brokenness makes them impossible to hate.

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Ben Kenigsberg

New York Times

Apr 30

Lately Desplechin has been in a bit of a rut with critics, and this modest drama, less sprawling than much of his work, feels like an effort to reconnect with the madness of his early films. That’s a compliment.

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Chris Barsanti

Slant Magazine

Apr 26

1.5/4

Arnaud Desplechin’s film only flirts with questions about the sacrifices made for art.

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Sarah Manvel

Movies We Texted About

5h

Does the very rare trick of hitting the standard movie marks in fresh and unexpected ways. This is a movie about adults, by which is meant there’s a frankness about human weakness that’s becoming rare in cinema.

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Todd Jorgenson

Cinemalogue

6d

Eventually finding its rhythm as a portrait of a musician at a personal and professional crossroads, this uneven melodrama is bolstered by richly textured performances.

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Shikhar Verma

High on Films

May 1

2/5

Although Desplechin tries his best to trudge the film with thematically rich ideas, the result is a scattered melodrama that never commits to any of them.

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Martin C

6d

Tale of a self pitying, self centered jerk who can’t get over some lost love. Apparently very talented he returns to Lyon, and proceeds to self destruct and make everyone who knows him miserable. If you enjoy such stories this movie is for you.

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Moody C

@MoodyC 1d

Feels like a really long & slow soap opera but with excellent production quality & an equally strong script. France looks beautiful here with beautiful actors & timeless classical scores but feels just a tad long & slow without anything really happening. There is some mystery & intrigue in beginning but after reveal midway it just dragged on forever. It’s a story about a free spirited guy who doesn’t wanna commit to anything permanent & those who are close to him knowing this fact. Somewat bittersweet endling.

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Arnaud Desplechin

Director

François Civil

Mathias

Nadia Tereszkiewicz

Claude

Charlotte Rampling

Elena

Hippolyte Girardot

Max

Alba Gaïa Kraghede Bellugi

Judith

Two Pianos: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

After years of self-imposed exile, pianist Mathias (François Civil) returns to France, where his former mentor, Eléna (Charlotte Rampling), has invited him to perform a series of concerts with her in his hometown of Lyon. Once a rising star of the French musical scene and Eléna's prized pupil, Mathias has spent many years teaching and performing in Japan. Soon after his arrival, a chance encounter with a child who looks just like him throws Mathias into turmoil, threatening to drag him down, and leads him back to his first love, Claude (Nadia Tereszkiewicz). French master Arnaud Desplechin (My Sex Life..., A Christmas Tale) returns to some of his favorite themes -- psychologically charged homecomings and unexpected reunions (romantic and otherwise) -- in this sensual, Hitchcockian melodrama featuring one of Rampling's most delicious roles in years.

Director: Arnaud Desplechin
Producer: Pascal Caucheteux
Screenwriter: Arnaud Desplechin, Kamen Velkovsky
Distributor: Kino Lorber
Production Co: Why Not Productions, arte France Cinéma
Genre: Drama, Romance
Original Language: French (France)
Release Date (Theaters): May 1, 2026, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 16, 2026
Box Office (Gross USA): $11.3K
Runtime: 1h 55m
Aspect Ratio: Digital 2.39:1