The film has a sweetness that stops short of sentimentality.
Comment
06/04/04
The Butterfly (2003)
80
%
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:20
Fresh:16
Rotten:4
Average Rating:6.6/10
Synopsis: Writer-director Philippe Muyl delivers this tender French family drama about an unlikely bond that forms between a young girl and her elderly neighbor. Michel Serrault (LE CAGE AUX FOLLES) is... [More]
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Reviews for The Butterfly
Top CriticThe story is as predictable as a hot summer in South Florida, but if you're in need of comfort, Le Papillon is a good choice.
03/26/04
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...
06/04/04
Apparently, I can appreciate a good natured movie in which a sweet attachment and fluttering butterflies pervade the landscape.
03/22/04
A fine French film about a cross-generational friendship between a cranky entomologist and a lonely little girl yearning for some attention.
12/11/03
Beautiful scenery and a strong cast help director Philippe Muyl overcome a less-then-compelling script.
12/19/03
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.
03/18/04
A delicately etched little character study.
08/08/04
Just once, I'd like to see a foreign film about a cranky old person and an adorable tyke who don't become pals and change each other's lives.
01/15/04
Its combination of psychological insight and emotional restraint helps it transcend sentimentality.
12/18/03
Top CriticSure to please children and adults.
12/19/03
Top CriticMichel 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.
12/23/03
Top CriticIt's all very sweet and occasionally touching. More lasting shots of more beautiful butterflies would have added a lot, though.
12/18/03
An exceptionally satisfying film of much grace and beauty.
03/18/04
Top CriticAlthough well acted with a strong sense of naturalism, the film is as light and ephemeral as the [butterfly] itself.
04/09/04
Depending on your perspective, this French family drama will either feel sweetly sentimental or shamelessly manipulative.
01/02/04
Top CriticThe 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.
09/22/04
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09/22/04
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12/07/07
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09/24/04
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