The Double Life of Veronique

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The Double Life of Veronique

R

1991

1h 33m

Mystery & Thriller

Comedy

Drama

Crime

History

Romance

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

86%

Tomatometer

35 Reviews

91%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

Veronique is a beautiful young French woman who aspires to be a renowned singer; Weronika (also Jacob) lives in Poland, has a similar career goal and looks identical to Veronique, though the two are not related. The film follows both women as they contend with the ups and downs of their individual lives, with Veronique embarking on an unusual romance with Alexandre Fabbri, a puppeteer who may be able to help her with her existential issues.

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Critics Consensus

Operating on confounding dream logic with Irene Jacob's beautiful performance as a guide, The Double Life of Veronique offers a moving meditation on perception for audiences willing to indulge its inscrutability.

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Anthony Lane

The New Yorker

Apr 3, 2006

We see through a glass darkly, and often confusingly, but at least we see.

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David Parkinson

Empire Magazine

Apr 1, 2006

4/5

Compelling, challenging and irresistibly beautiful, this delicate metaphysical masterpiece only emphasises how much cinema lost through Krzysztof Kieslowski's tragically early death.

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Matthew Leyland

BBC.com

Mar 21, 2006

3/5

If Double Life is arguably only half as rewarding as some of Kieslowski's other films, then it remains an indelible entry in an outstanding career.

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Michael J. Casey

Boulder Weekly

Nov 27, 2024

4.5/5

The frame dissolves, the connection is palpable and, for a brief moment, the veil between you and the screen falls. It’s moments like this that make my heart happy that pictures can move.

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Bianca Garner

Filmotomy

Oct 10, 2024

Each shot feels like a painting.

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Carlos Bonfil

La Jornada

Apr 12, 2023

A beautiful Irène Jacob, the Polish filmmaker's favorite muse, embodies two characters that are identical in their physiognomy and in the nature of their profession, although opposite in their respective temperaments. [Full review in Spanish]

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Tim M

@tgmacman Sep 1, 2026

As enchanting as it is elusive, Krzysztof Kieślowski's The Double Life of Veronique is loaded with abstract feeling and meaning.

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Dušan A

@RT86182278 Feb 7, 2025

8 because of beautiful shots, but otherwise too "meditative" for my taste

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Clara Y

@RT49213015 Oct 27, 2024

Lives of two women connected by an inexplicable bond, beautiful and poetic.

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Shailendra K

@RT24327346 Nov 14, 2022

I am still processing this movie and its multiple layers of storytelling. I was a big fan of Kieslowski's three colors but never got a chance to watch Veronique. I was very impressed by the simplicity and complexity of this human drama. Irene Jacob was simply stunning and exceptional.

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dave s

@RT68722908 May 15, 2022

To fully enjoy The Double Life of Veronique, dispense with the idea that the plot is important to sort out. It isn't. Weronika (Irene Jacob) is a Polish woman who strives to be a great singer. Veronique (also Jacob) is a Parisian who is also drawn to music and shares an existential angst with her Polish counterpart. While the closest the two ever come to meeting is the shared experience of a violent protest in Krakow, they both understand intuitively that the other exists. Director Krzysztof Kieslowski creates a mesmerizing, ethereal, somewhat surreal viewing experience that is as visually stunning as anything he (or anyone else, for that matter) has produced. Throw logic out the window and allow the movie to wash over you as the two characters try to come terms with the fact that they are not alone in the world.

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Apr 16, 2022

This movie is a masterpiece. The plot is also interesting even-though there is not much suspense in it. The direction of Krzysztof Kieślowski and the ending is also magnificent. The cinematography of the film is state of the art for the 90s era. In addition, the title of the film is also relevant to the whole plot

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Krzysztof Kieslowski

Director

Irène Jacob

Weronika

Philippe Volter

Alexandre Fabbri

Claude Duneton

Le père de Véronique

Guillaume de Tonquedec

Serge

Władysław Kowalski

Le père de Veronika

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Synopsis

Veronique is a beautiful young French woman who aspires to be a renowned singer; Weronika (also Jacob) lives in Poland, has a similar career goal and looks identical to Veronique, though the two are not related. The film follows both women as they contend with the ups and downs of their individual lives, with Veronique embarking on an unusual romance with Alexandre Fabbri, a puppeteer who may be able to help her with her existential issues.

Director: Krzysztof Kieslowski
Producer: Leonardo De La Fuente
Screenwriter: Krzysztof Kieslowski, Krzysztof Piesiewicz
Distributor: Miramax Films
Production Co: Canal+
Rating: R
Genre: Mystery & Thriller, Comedy, Drama, Crime, History, Romance
Original Language: French (France)
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 24, 1991, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 17, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA): $46.3K
Runtime: 1h 33m

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