80
The Hollywood Reporter
Witty, enjoyable costume drama imagines formative episode in life of French comedy giant.
Moliere (Molière)
Critic Rating
(read reviews)User Rating
- France
- 2007
- · 115m
Director
Laurent Tirard
Cast
Romain Duris,
Fabrice Luchini,
Edouard Baer,
Ludivine Sagnier,
Laura Morante,
Fanny Valette
Genre
Comedy,
Drama,
Romance
In 17th-century France, playwright and actor Molière has his debts paid off by Monsieur Jourdain, freeing him from debtors' prison. In return, Jourdain asks for acting lessons so he can please his mistress by performing a short play for her. At the same time, Molière begins to fall in love with Jourdain's disregarded wife.
Stream Moliere
What are critics saying?
80
Variety by Lisa Nesselson
Romance, creativity, subterfuge and repartee are among the pleasures to be had in Moliere, a consistently diverting, bittersweet costumer.
80
The Hollywood Reporter by Bernard Besserglik
Witty, enjoyable costume drama imagines formative episode in life of French comedy giant.
80
Washington Post by Ann Hornaday
An extravagant and thoroughly irresistible story of intrigue, romance, comedy and artistic inspiration.
75
The A.V. Club by Scott Tobias
A Molière this good deserves a more substantive portrait, but this one will do for now.
75
New York Daily News by Elizabeth Weitzman
The actors elevate what might have been fluff into a genuinely moving tale, and the action is so much fun that it doesn't even matter if you've seen Molière's plays before.
75
Christian Science Monitor by Peter Rainer
As Molière, Romain Duris is frisky and, playing the wife of his benefactor, Laura Morante proves once again that she is one of the most intelligent and attractive actresses in the world.
75
Philadelphia Inquirer by Carrie Rickey
Though it might be Moliere for Dummies, it's infinitely more fun than French director Ariane Mnouchkine's tedious 1978 film portrait, a Moliere for Smarties that ran four hours plus and, like Tirard's movie, explored the comedy of tragedy.
75
Portland Oregonian by Marc Mohan
Sometimes it's fun to put on costumes and wigs and just goof around.
70
Village Voice
Tirard unwinds the action slow and steady, which makes for a slackly paced first hour that all but destroys the movie. Hang in and you'll see the method in this seemingly perverse strategy, as the young blade grows a passion for the highly strung, cultivated lady of the house, beautifully played by Europe's reigning queen of barely suppressed hysteria, Laura Morante.
70
The New Yorker by Anthony Lane
Yet the film, directed by Laurent Tirard, has something. To be exact, it has Fabrice Luchini and Laura Morante, as M. and Mme. Jourdain.
70
Village Voice by Ella Taylor
Tirard unwinds the action slow and steady, which makes for a slackly paced first hour that all but destroys the movie. Hang in and you'll see the method in this seemingly perverse strategy, as the young blade grows a passion for the highly strung, cultivated lady of the house, beautifully played by Europe's reigning queen of barely suppressed hysteria, Laura Morante.
63
TV Guide Magazine by Ken Fox
While none of this is meant to be taken seriously, the premise demeans Moliere's great achievement.
50
The New York Times by A.O. Scott
Less forgivably, the movie is dull.
50
New York Post by Kyle Smith
The Great Playwrights for Dummies series that began with "Shakespeare in Love" continues with Molière, a French clone of that grating and smarmy Best Picture winner.
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