Alive (2004) User Reviews

France just can't do it anymore ?

[jean-no · 1/10 · 8 June 2006]

I love "debut films" telling how somebody has passion, works and succeeds : stuff like Billy Elliot, Fame (great and underrated), Flashdance, Beat Streat (also great and underrated)... Some are light, some quite dark (Saturday Night Fever for instance). Most of them talk about music and dance (but Rocky is of the same kind no ?) How much of those movies exist ? hundreds maybe. One country (at least) seems totally unable to produce that kind of movies, and it is mine : France. I can tell titles : "Paroles et musique", "bouge!" and maybe the lamest of all, "Alive" (there is also "le defi", but to be honest I didn't watch it). All those movies talk about a show-business that never existed (that way) in this country : talent, work and struggle for art are not very french I guess. "Alive" is the story of a musical show (but there aren't much of that in France) director who lost his talent when his wife left him. He want to be back, even if his producer refuses to help him and even tries to stop him. The show is lame, the music is lame, maybe the only good point is that one or two singers are good (but not well exploited : the (now famous) talented Christophe Willem appears just a little as a guy called Henri who won't fit...). The editing is unprofessional, with a constant musical background (stop that radio), the romantic plot is ridiculous, all is too fast, and goes without any kind of tension, the audience stays out of that bad soda commercial. Maybe the worst movie I've watched on DVD this year.

If you look for a french "debut movie" that is worth watching, well there is one actually. It's "French Cancan", by Jean Renoir (1955). Cruel and fair.

Not worse than an other...

[cyankees · 7/10 · 10 June 2006]

I think that this film doesn't deserve the mark that he had.. its not the Best film I have ever seen but It is still a Good one... The lyrics and music are excellent , its a nice story ... Okay there is not a lot of "suspens" , but still ... And in fact , there is one singer who plays in It , Christophe Willem Who just won the French American Idol "Nouvelle Star" .. Therefore , If you are a fan of him , you can see it.. Otherwise , It is maybe not a very very very good french movie but at least it is not that lame.. It is a good moment for one hour and half.. Me I liked it ..And I might see it again at the occasion cause it is a kind of good movie..

Jusqu'a la tolerance!

[voom · 10/10 · 13 April 2006]

Even if you do not speak french, this charming musical will have you humming the catchy pop ballads for weeks to come. The plot is simple. A playwright finds himself without any money, and still in love with his ex-wife, whose new husband dislikes him and wants to keep their two children from seeing him. So what does he do! Writes the best musical ever! With the help of a handsome young grocery clerk who writes songs but vows to never sing them - he sets out with a former business partner in staging "ALIVE!" to win back his family, his reputation, and to ensure his future success. The story is somewhat predictable, as this has been done before and in cleverer ways. A lot of questions are left unanswered, sub plots branch out and suddenly disappear, and there are so many characters with such tiny parts that pretty soon you become convinced that they are all being played by Ginie Line. In the end, if you like Musicals, and you like French, this movie is definitely for you.