Nelly and Monsieur Arnaud (1996)
Movie Info
Cast
as Nelly
as Monsieur Arnaud
as Vincent
as M. Arnaud
as Nelly's Mother
as Jacqueline
as Isabelle
as Dollabella
as Jerome
as Christophe
as Taieb
as Marianne
as Laurence
as Jean-Marc
as Luc
as Sandrine
as Girl in the Bistro
as Valerie
as Maria
as Benedicte
as The Judge
as Monsieur Toux
as Director P.A.O.
as Ami Taieb
as Manager of the Printers
as Madame Toux
Critic Reviews for Nelly and Monsieur Arnaud
All Critics (22) | Top Critics (10) | Fresh (21) | Rotten (1)
Writer-director Sautet's great achievement is to introduce a world of undefinable impulses; the two actors' great achievement is to step into that world and experience them.
It glows with sorrowful humor in its look at two people who seem just right for each other but don't have time on their side.
It's reserved, polished and challengingly intelligent.
It is a matter of great erotic fascination when two people are intrigued by the notion of becoming lovers, but are held back by the fear of rejection _and_ the fear of involvement.
It's one sign of Sautet's success that, though he presents neither character as especially admirable or exceptional, he makes us care about them a great deal.
These are two great actors giving top-notch performances, and the restrained romance they project is fascinating.
Audience Reviews for Nelly and Monsieur Arnaud
Or, There's Something About Nelly as seemingly everyone she meets tries to get closer. This slice-of-life film is as slicey-of-lifey as they come. There are no moral judgments or psychological analyses, what you see is what you get - a period of several months from the time Nelly meets a wealthy elderly man to when he leaves for an extended period of time. We see snippets of their lives and their friends' lives, but inner identities and motivations remain guarded secrets. I considered giving 4 stars for the excellent acting craftsmanship, but upon assessing my experience after it was over, without any deeper message the film seems rather "slight." If there is an underlying message, I guess it is that the choices we must make in life affect others as much as they affect ourselves. If you enjoyed Emmanuelle Béart in Un Coeur en Hiver, again directed by Claude Sautet, you'll certainly appreciate her performance and otherworldly beauty in this one too.
Super Reviewer
I'm a sucker for Emmanuelle Beart films but I truly enjoy them from an artistic point of view. Nelly works well with Arnaud despite their difference in "years of experience". Chalk up another compelling French drama.
Super Reviewer
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