The Story of Marie and Julien

Critics Consensus

No consensus yet.

62%

TOMATOMETER

Total Count: 13

75%

Audience Score

User Ratings: 624
User image

Tap to review this movie

  • User image

    Super Reviewer

    Rate this movie

    Oof, that was Rotten.

    Meh, it passed the time.

    It’s good – I’d recommend it.

    Awesome!

    So Fresh: Absolute Must See!

    What did you think of the movie? (optional)

  • You're almost there! Just confirm how you got your ticket.

  • User image

    Super Reviewer

    Step 2 of 2

    How did you get your ticket?

    • Fandango

    • AMC (Coming Soon)

      We won’t be able to verify your ticket today, but it’s great to know for the future.

    • Cinemark (Coming Soon)

      We won’t be able to verify your ticket today, but it’s great to know for the future.

    • Regal (Coming Soon)

      We won’t be able to verify your ticket today, but it’s great to know for the future.

    • Bought somewhere else

    By opting to have your ticket verified for this movie, you are allowing us to check the email address associated with your Rotten Tomatoes account against an email address associated with a Fandango ticket purchase for the same movie.

    You're almost there! Just confirm how you got your ticket.

  • User image

    Super Reviewer

    Rate this movie

    Oof, that was Rotten.

    Meh, it passed the time.

    It’s good – I’d recommend it.

    Awesome!

    So Fresh: Absolute Must See!

    What did you think of the movie? (optional)

  • How did you get your ticket?

    • Fandango

    • AMC (Coming Soon)

      We won’t be able to verify your ticket today, but it’s great to know for the future.

    • Cinemark (Coming Soon)

      We won’t be able to verify your ticket today, but it’s great to know for the future.

    • Regal (Coming Soon)

      We won’t be able to verify your ticket today, but it’s great to know for the future.

    • Bought somewhere else

    By opting to have your ticket verified for this movie, you are allowing us to check the email address associated with your Rotten Tomatoes account against an email address associated with a Fandango ticket purchase for the same movie.

Movie Info

Jacques Rivette's Histoire de Marie et Julien (The Story of Marie and Julien) stars Emmanuelle Béart and Jerzy Radziwilowicz as a pair of ex-lovers who get back together after their lives change. Julien (Radziwilowicz) is a clock repairman whose girlfriend has left him. Marie (Béart) is a mysterious woman who does not bleed after being cut. Her boyfriend has died. Marie and Julien had once engaged in an affair when they were each involved with other people, and now that they have no emotional entanglements, they slowly begin a new relationship. This film started decades before as a project in Rivette's "Scenes From a Parallel Life" series and abandons the majority of the formal rules imposed by the filmmaker on the other films in the cycle. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi

Cast

Emmanuelle Béart
as Marie
Jerzy Radziwilowicz
as Julien
Anne Brochet
as Madame X
Bettina Kee
as Adrienne
Olivier Cruveiller
as The Publisher
Mathias Jung
as The Concierge
Nicole Garcia
as The Friend
View All

Critic Reviews for The Story of Marie and Julien

All Critics (13) | Top Critics (4) | Fresh (8) | Rotten (5)

  • All the story's power is allowed to leak away by the deliberative heaviness with which Rivette pads through his 150-minute narrative, with its exasperating lack of dramatic emphasis.

    Nov 12, 2007 | Rating: 2/5 | Full Review…

    Peter Bradshaw

    Guardian
    Top Critic

  • Far from bad, but academic and -- for once with this director -- overlong.

    Jun 24, 2006 | Full Review…

    Geoff Andrew

    Time Out
    Top Critic

  • Although slow-moving and slightly muted in its emotional pay-off, the film is distinguished by a carefully layered performance from the impressive Béart, who subtly conveys Marie's other-worldly detachment and her human vulnerability.

    Sep 18, 2004 | Rating: 3/5 | Full Review…

    Tom Dawson

    BBC.com
    Top Critic

  • Rivette, working from a story he developed with Pascal Bonitzer and Christine Laurent, ushers us slyly toward an ending that surprises and provokes, yet offers the possibility of love reborn.

    Nov 5, 2003

    Kirk Honeycutt

    Hollywood Reporter
    Top Critic

  • I can't always see what [director Jacquees] Rivette gains by stripping his presentation down to such bare patterns of encryption, but his cerebrality paradoxically heightens the sensual impact of his imagery.

    Oct 16, 2018 | Full Review…

    Dan Sallitt

    Senses of Cinema

  • For a picture about the fantastic and supernatural, it's a surprisingly flat and unmagical affair.

    Nov 12, 2007 | Full Review…

    Philip French

    Observer (UK)
View All Critic Reviews (13)

Audience Reviews for The Story of Marie and Julien

  • Sep 27, 2010
    A modest little gem. As you probably guessed, this is about the relationship between Marie and Julien who reconnect after sharing an unspecified though likely intimate encounter one year ago. Not long after meeting Marie, I thought to myself, "There is something wrong with this woman" and I was right although not nearly in the way I expected. To reveal any more would be irresponsible, all I will say is that any seasoned moviegoer has seen dozens of this kind of movie, but I have not seen one handled quite this way which was very gratifying. It is slow, long, and methodical, there is absolutely no music soundtrack, and often you must watch people performing actions in silence. However if you are patient and curious enough to discover the secrets, there is quite a surprise in store, some genuinely erotic love scenes, and a teary, fulfilling conclusion. I've seen over 25 of Emmanuelle Beart's films and this rates among her finest, plus it features a cat named Nevermore who gives one of the best feline performances of all time! I'm very glad I went into this blind and you will be thankful too the less you know.
    Doctor S Super Reviewer
  • Feb 22, 2010
    this movie is so long and drawn out, and the payoff is minimal after such an arduous wait. Both lead characters act as though the entire story is a dream sequence, and Jerzy acts mainly stone faced throughout, as though he is in a permanent daze. At the least, Ms Beart is terrific to gaze at, and puts forth a believable performance. you have heard of the movie "Casper the friendly ghost" ? This movie would aptly be titled "Marie, the horny ghost". The best part of this dvd is the extra where the director is interviewed. His intellectual discussion about the difference between phantoms and ghosts provided me some needed unintentional humor after watching this movie
    alan j Super Reviewer
  • Oct 03, 2008
    Expressive qualities won't be needed in the afterlife,ouch...as to not reveal much,Rivette underlines the importance of being loyal and rampaging your beliefs.Julien is a despicable person and Marie is the angel in disguise,and these malicious creatures crave each other like animals.Rivette's poetic way to show it all prevents him from offering a true masterpiece but I forgive him because his subplot devices and fascinating tempos distinguish him.
    Dimitris S Super Reviewer
See all Audience reviews

The Story of Marie and Julien Quotes

There are no approved quotes yet for this movie.

News & Features