Directed and written by Philippe Muyl, the family-friendly Le Papillon (The Butterfly) concerns a search for the title creature. Often lonely because of her single mother's busy work schedule, eight-year-old Elsa (Claire Bouanich) befriends an elderly neighbor man named Julien (Michel Serrault), eventually joining him on a trek to find a rare butterfly that lives for only 72 hours. As the relationship between the two teaches them both a few things about themselves, Elsa's mother (Nade Dieu)
worries that her daughter has been kidnapped. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi
Michel Serrault's typically expert performance and writer-director Philippe Muyl's ability to avoid the usual cliches in his execution of the tale give The Butterfly an undeniable appeal.
The unyielding lens catches even the smallest moments of yielding as the two humans, one so young and one so old, one so eager and one so broken, come to appreciate each other.
Quiet yet wonderfully curious, bold but not bratty, this moon-faced little girl captures the subconsciously tarnished innocence of a child accustomed to having the blues...
If there's anyone to credit for The Butterfly's eventual triumph over the inherent fatuousness of the material, it's the great Serrault and his tiny leading lady, who matches her elder nearly line for line and look for look.
A wonderfully endearing film. The two main characters are brilliant, effective and adorable. The film maker manages to take a story that could be syrupy sweet and "hollywoodish," and keeps it real and very engaging. I don't know that I would necessarily call it a children's film, but there isn't much that's
objectionable for kids, with the possible exception of topics related to a semi-delinquent parent, but those topics are handled very well. The story is largely about a neglected girl and a lonely man who find that they have something rewarding and fulfilling to offer each other. It's delightful!
Delightfully unexpected invigorating refreshment! A movie with substance, heart and love for life... and we need so little to have all of that! I enjoyed every second of it!
No quotes approved yet for Le Papillon (The Butterfly). Logged in users can submit quotes.
Submit a Quote from 'Le Papillon (The Butterfly)'
A quote can be a single line from one character or a memorable dialog between several characters. Please make your quotes accurate. Quotes will be submitted for approval by the RT staff.
Example:
Luke: Alright. I'll give it a try. Yoda: No. Try not. Do or do not. There is no try.
Top Critic
