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Les enfants du si�cle (The Children of the Century) (1999)

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All Critics
Top Critics

Average Rating: 5.2/10
Reviews Counted: 42
Fresh: 18 | Rotten: 24

This romance is more soapy than historically compelling.

Average Rating: 5.4/10
Critic Reviews: 12
Fresh: 5 | Rotten: 7

This romance is more soapy than historically compelling.

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Average Rating: 3.6/5
User Ratings: 1,003

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Movie Info

While pioneering pre-feminist author George Sand has been the subject of several film biographies focusing on her ten year relationship with Frederick Chopin, Les enfants du si�cle looks at an earlier period in Sand's life, in particular her stormy romance with poet Alfred de Musset. In the early 1830's, Baroness Dudevant (Juliette Binoche) has abandoned her husband and arrives in Paris with her children in tow as rioting divides the city. The Baroness decides to reinvent herself and pursue a

Unrated, 2 hr. 15 min.

Art House & International, Drama

Directed By: Diane Kurys

Written By: Francois-Olivier Rousseau, Murray Head, Diane Kurys

In Theaters: Jan 1, 1999 Wide

On DVD: Jan 20, 2004

Empire Pictures

Les enfants du si�cle (The Children of the Century) Trailer & Photos

Cast

Juliette Binoche
George Sand
Beno�t Magimel
Alfred de Musset
Stefano Dionisi
Pagello
Robin Renucci
Buloz
Karin Viard
Marie Dorval
Isabelle Carr�
Aimee d'Alton
Arnaud Giovaninetti
Tattet
Denis Podalyd�s
Sainte-Beuve
Olivier Foubert
Paul
Marie-France Mignal
Mme de Musset
Victoire Thivisol
Solange

Critic Reviews for Les enfants du si�cle (The Children of the Century)

All Critics (48) | Top Critics (13) | Fresh (18) | Rotten (24) | DVD (3)

The emotion is impressively true for being so hot-blooded, and both leads are up to the task.

February 13, 2003 Full Review Source: Dallas Morning News

| Comment

Chris Vognar

Dallas Morning News

Top Critic

The film's appeal has a lot to do with the casting of Juliette Binoche as Sand, who brings to the role her pale, dark beauty and characteristic warmth.

December 13, 2002 Full Review Source: San Francisco Chronicle

| Comment

Mick LaSalle

San Francisco Chronicle

Top Critic

Plays like a volatile and overlong W magazine fashion spread.

November 22, 2002 Full Review Source: Boston Globe

| Comment

Wesley Morris

Boston Globe

Top Critic

It's technically sumptuous but also almost wildly alive.

November 21, 2002 Full Review Source: Chicago Tribune

| Comment

Michael Wilmington

Chicago Tribune

Top Critic

Kurys never shows why, of all the period's volatile romantic lives, Sand and Musset are worth particular attention.

October 8, 2002 Comment

Stanley Kauffmann

New Republic

Top Critic

In scope, ambition and accomplishment, Children of the Century ... takes Kurys' career to a whole new level.

October 3, 2002 Full Review Source: Los Angeles Times

| Comment

Kevin Thomas

Los Angeles Times

Top Critic

For all its transparent outrageousness, filmmaker Kurys' tribute to those free spirits is an entertainment for squares.

May 5, 2010 Full Review Source: East Bay Express

| Comment

Kelly Vance

East Bay Express

It's beautiful, typically French, and a bore.

December 15, 2003 Full Review Source: Daily Mail [UK]

| Comment

Christopher Tookey

Daily Mail [UK]

In between all the emotional seesawing, it's hard to figure the depth of these two literary figures, and even the times in which they lived. But they fascinate in their recklessness.

March 28, 2003 Full Review Source: Miami Herald

| Comment

Marta Barber

Miami Herald

Is this love or is it masochism? Binoche makes it interesting trying to find out.

March 27, 2003 Full Review Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel

| Comment

John Dolen

South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Benefits not only from Filac's cinematography but also from the two leads, whose chemistry is immediately apparent.

February 14, 2003 Full Review Source: Dallas Observer

| Comment

Andy Klein

Dallas Observer

A bit of a downer and a little over-dramatic at times, but this is a beautiful film for people who like their romances to have that French realism.

February 14, 2003 Full Review Source: TheMovieChicks.com

| Comment

Cherryl Dawson and Leigh Ann Palone

TheMovieChicks.com

While the production details are lavish, film has little insight into the historical period and its artists, particularly in how Sand developed a notorious reputation.

December 23, 2002 Full Review Source: Boxoffice Magazine

| Comment

Ed Scheid

Boxoffice Magazine

Binoche and Magimel are perfect in these roles.

December 16, 2002 Full Review Source: San Diego Metropolitan

| Comment

Jean Lowerison

San Diego Metropolitan

Aggravating and tedious.

December 13, 2002 Full Review Source: Combustible Celluloid

| Comment

Jeffrey M. Anderson

Combustible Celluloid

More Critic Reviews

Audience Reviews for Les enfants du si�cle (The Children of the Century)

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Visually, this is beautiful. Binoche gives a strong performance as Sand, Magimel is solid as an impetuous, and depraved, de Musset. Costumes, and backdrops, are spectacular. The acting top notch. So why wouldn't I love it? I suppose it's the-- I love him, I hate him, I love him, I hate him, I love him, I hate him, I

September 11, 2010

Cynthia S.

Super Reviewer

A desperately tragic overly romanticised film. It's a wonderful piece of costume drama that relishes in the recreation of the 19th century. The dialogue is at the front of a well plotted screenplay, which excellent sparring words between Binoche and Magimel. It really does successfully show a couple who are not right

September 10, 2008