For all we know, it's just a big show, a put-on for our entertainment -- but what matters is that it's really quite convincing. You do want to believe this is Van Damme.
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08/28/09
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JCVD (2008)
85
%
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:95
Fresh:81
Rotten:14
Average Rating:6.9/10
Consensus: JCVD is a touching, fascinating piece, with Jean-Claude Van Damme confounding all with his heartfelt performance.
Theatrical Release:Nov 7, 2008 Limited
Box Office: $382,923
Synopsis: In JCVD, a French- and English-language film from savvily tenebrous director Mabrouk El Mechri, Jean-Claude Van Damme is Jean-Claude Van Damme. Losing his roles to Steven Seagal and a custody... [More]
Starring: Jean-Claude Van Damme, Francois Damiens, Zinedine Soualem, Karim Belkhadra
Director: Mabrouk El Mechri
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Reviews for JCVD
a bold attempt to humanize Van Damme, not by trying to ignore his personal and professional pitfalls, but by reminding us that behind ever movie star, loved or loathed, is a complex human being
05/11/09
...not your usual Van Damme movie...and a refreshing change of pace for the actor.
04/17/09
If you thought that Mickey Rourke had the market cornered on comebacks with his transcendent performance in Darren Aronofsky's masterpiece The Wrestler, then think again.
04/10/09
It’s fun as far as it goes, and for the most part quite well made, but in the end it’s really not about very much at all.
04/10/09
Mechri allows the verbally challenged action star dignity and, with this, the film works. Maybe next time he could bring Jean-Claude and Mickey Rourke together. Now that would be a movie.
04/03/09
...reveals ... a supple and engaging actor with a sense of humor and a rare kind of self-recognition. Van Damme knows what we think of him and understands why.
03/31/09
Van Damme has never done work like this before, and he's supported by the director's unique vision for the film
03/27/09
It's clever and unexpected, this confluence of dramatic fiction and real life that finds action star Jean-Claude Van Damme playing a version of himself in a heist movie
03/27/09
A real departure for Van Dame, but it ought to help his career. Who knew he could act?
03/26/09
[Van Damme] brings a kind of weary dignity to the role, and a surprising self-awareness...
03/06/09
It's as if he's trying to reach through the screen and show us the real guy behind the image he's spent a lifetime creating. I'm not sure if he's successful, but the attempt is fascinating.
02/09/09
His face has a Bogart-esque haggardness, and his speeches about his life and career have at least a semblance of painful sincerity. This spectacle isn’t enough to keep the film from dragging, but it certainly has curiosity value.
02/05/09
It's fun, and moderately well handled by a young French director.
02/05/09
An existential-heist thriller with moments of dark comedy, JCVD is decidedly different and has its moments but you probably have to be a diehard fan to really cherish it.
02/05/09
Will make you see the Muscles from Brussels in a new light.
01/30/09
Seems like a spoof at first glance but this proves to be a compelling Post-modern thriller with gumption.
01/30/09
Unpredictable, engaging and even challenging, ‘JCVD’ is an intriguing oddity.
01/30/09
A captivating film with a superb understated, genuinely affecting performance from Jean-Claude Van Damme.
01/30/09
A Godardian coup de cinéma.
01/30/09
Latest News for JCVD
April 27, 2009:
RT on DVD: JCVD, Animated X-Men, and Star Trek on Blu-ray
This week, home video enthusiasts have all kinds of new flicks -- fresh and rotten -- to peruse, starting with a surprising comeback by former action hero Jean-Claude Van Damme... More...
February 01, 2009:
Van Damme Is Hungry for More Bloodsport 
How does Jean-Claude Van Damme intend to use the goodwill he earned with "JCVD"? According to a new interview with Total Film, the Muscles is working on a "very mature" sequel... More...
November 07, 2008:
Switching it up from dumb and dumber action thrillers to smart alek moviemaking, JCVD is Van Damme's girlie man unplugged, and literally his own worst enemy. It's no Dog Day Afternoon, but still a sensitive tough guy mock reality show with balls.
More...
November 05, 2008:
Total Recall: Kickin' It With Jean-Claude Van Damme
No, your eyes aren't deceiving you -- for this week's Total Recall, we're taking a look at the best-reviewed works of a career whose cumulative output has been the target of... More...
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