Waiting for Bojangles (2021) User Reviews

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[ops-52535 · 7/10 · 15 November 2022]

Wonderful world, louis armstrong once preached, and relatively spoken it is. Even in a mad mad world as portrayed in this french drama flick, about a man and a woman and a child that rides the wave of the present present, and doesnt delve a minute about any worries in the world. But something aint right in this world and the story takes us deep into the world of the schizophrenic, a story walking on the borderline of manic depressive tensions of a young female ad/hd'er, an unheard of state of mental state back then in the 1950's, and this familys fight against the monsters ,in the name of love...

its a very warm and emotional production, the cast is spot on target french and the location seekers have really done their job making this something special to watch. It will play on all your emotional strings so beware that it might slap you in the face. Musical score and dancing setups are full of flare an bouchet, so set your mind 60 years back and watch and feel. Grumpy old man did and recommends.

Waiting for Bojangles

[CinemaSerf · 7/10 · 31 March 2024]

We start at a swanky party where "Georges" (Romain Duris) is working his way around the guests regaling them with some tales that wouldn't have looked out of place in "Bedtime Story" (1964). Fearing that he's about to be rumbled, he tries for an hasty exit and that is when he encounters "Camille" (Virginia Efira) who is amidst some sort of solo dancing performance that captivates him. Romance blossoms, "Gary" (Solan Machado Graner) is born and the three embark on their lively and frenetic lives together. Up until now, this film is an unremarkable and rather bitty, episodic, comedy that sails very close to the winds of annoyance. Now, though, as the story has advanced a few years, it becomes a far more interesting and poignant tale as it is clear that "Camille" is losing the plot. She is prone to irrational outbursts, to violence and this is worrying her family and her friends. Help is sought and acquired but father and son cannot live without their girl and so concoct a plan to rescue her and abscond to a beautiful villa by the sea where they can all live happily ever after. It takes a brave storyteller to try and make a dark comedy from the subject of mental illness, and by combining a solid effort from Duris, a creative and engaging one from Efira and the frankly scene stealing contributions of the young Graner, Régis Roinsard just about gets away with it. Sometimes the humour is a little too surreal and in your face, but as the plot develops we are gradually drawn into their family predicament and I found myself feeling quite a bit of sympathy as you can sort of guess what is going to happen at the end. If you can forgive the first twenty minutes, then the film depicts a story that touches a few human emotions - love and selfishness chief amongst them, and is actually quite a decent watch.

A life changing movie

[la_gauloise · 10/10 · 6 February 2022]

This movie, based on a novel, tells the story of two beautiful people who decided to be the masters of their destiny, the painter of their life, filled with joy, imagination and magic. It talks to all of us by exacerbing questions that we all ask to ourselves: what is the purpose of life if not lived the way we want, if not lived joyfully ? This movie makes me want to live my life fully, by feeling more and thinking less. It depicts the story of a couple who decided to dedicate their life to love, in its purest definition, with all its flaws, but honestly. Dependence and adiction to the loved one is not hidden behind a mask in this couple. This story is so powerful and the actors are brilliant (Romain Duris and Virginie Efira are really amazing, and their child is played by a very talented boy). I don't know how this movie is in English, as I have seen the French original version. But it is definitely worth a try, just let go your assumptions of what life "should be like" before watching it, because the characters don't leave any space for anyone or anything to tell them what they should be. It is a pure beauty. Prepare your tissue box, you'll cry a lot. I genuinely think that there will be a before and a after in my life thanks to this movie. I can't wait to watch it again.

A self-indulgent mess

[dwbell · 2/10 · 13 May 2022]

I think the problem here was that a) the author of the book was involved with the screenplay and b) the director/c0-screenwriter was in awe of the material/author. If ever something needed more distance from the material, this was it. Someone suggested that, unlike the book, they didn't need a narrator. This was the fatal flaw. Without the audience understanding that this was the son's retelling of the family story, his parents just came across os self-involved narcissists. The film was so desperate to capture a charming effervescent mood that everything was leaden. When the story turned dark, it was hard to know how to react. The performances were OK, if rather forced. I wanted to escape the cinema after 20 minutes.

Just amazing

[pauldeb001 · 10/10 · 28 January 2022]

This movie is just brillant. It has been years since a movie hasn't moved me like this one.

It's a very touching movie and i am glad to start this year with this movie.

Actors, photography, music and the story... I don't think this movie could have been any better.

It's not a 10/10 like 12 angry men, but a 2020s 10/10.

If you are not french, maybe you won't enjoy as much as I have this movie.

Horrible boring untalented movie making.

[markusgoetz · 1/10 · 7 August 2022]

The film is like sequential trailer clips. Many scenes are completely superfluous, the basics of scriptwriting are missed.

Disguised as an art film, this aimless, confusing film is terrifying to follow.

Over and non congruent characters without deepness that you can't connect with and therefore can't stick with them and therefore don't create any tension or emotion in the viewer.

Had the impression that there are people at work here whose parents had too much money but who are definitely completely untalented in both screenwriting and filmmaking. Hard trying in being seen as a deep topics it seems ridiculous. Like a 3 year old painting something.

This film aims to be profoundly intellectual and "disturbing" - but flat dialogue and exaggerated gestures by the actors within a shallow world destroys any hope for inspiring moving experience in the audience.

I have no words for so much banality.

So in short, just a damn bad film, a very bad story and damn unsympathetic fake actors.

If you want to feel bad and being deprived of your time - go for it

Der Film lässt sich wie aufeinanderfolgende Trailerausschnitte ansehen. Viele Szenen sind völlig überflüssig, die Grundlagen der Drehbuchkunst werden verfehlt.

Als Kunstfilm getarnt ist es ein Grauen diesen ziellosen verwirrenden Film zu folgen.

Aufgedrehte Charaktere, mit denen man sich nicht verbinden kann und somit auch nicht zu ihnen halten kann und deswegen keinerlei Spannung oder Gefühl beim Zuschauer entsteht.

Hatte den Eindruck, dass hier Leute am Werk sind, deren Eltern zu viel Geld hatten aber die definitiv völlig untalentiert sind sowohl im Drehbuchschreiben als auch im Filme machen.

Dieser Film möchte tiefgründig intellektuell und"verstörend" sein - doch platte Dialoge, und übertrieben Gestikulieren der Darsteller.

Mir fehlen die Worte für so viel Banalität.

Alslo kurz einfach ein verdammt schlechter Film, eine sehr schlechte Geschichte und verdammt umsympathischen aufgesetzten Schauspielern.

More magnificent French movie making

[artee-4 · 9/10 · 7 August 2022]

Ok, the first twenty minutes or so of this movie did not totally grab me but I was happy to sit there and see how it panned out and I'm glad that I did - a wonderfully made and acted movie with, I would admit, a few thin patches but the final 30 or so minutes were riveting. The acting by all the cast was remarkable but in particular Virginie Efira who I hope to see more of (yes, I know that she showed us her all in the nude sequence !). A quirky tragi-comedy enjoyable in every respect. How anyone could be totally negative about this movie is beyond me but of course each to their own.

One of the best drama movies in past 20+ years

[BogdanH · 9/10 · 12 November 2022]

Yes, it's a drama. And those who don't know what that is or don't know how to appreciate it .. just don't write comments-- ok?

I'm not really a drama fan and so I can't judge about "quality" of drama. The only thing that matters to me is story and how actors tell the story. If I can identify with story and if actors make story believable, then I call that a good drama movie.

I can say, I've seen quite a lot of movies so far.. also some dramas. But I can easily say that "Waiting for Bojangles" is one of the best in past 20 years.

Ok, it's starts kinda silly, which made me thinking it's "another cheap" try... but soon we realize the beginning makes so much sense and the tempo of the story is just right.

Both main actors are quite new to me and truth to be told, my first visual impression was, that Romain Duris is probably wrong choice. How to say, his appearance next to Virginie Efira just didn't "fit in". But how wrong I was -only these two excellent actors could make this movie authentic.

Highly recommended for mature audience!

I give 9 out of 10 stars -because I'm picky.

Heartbreaking beautiful movie, an ode to love!

[sophiapost-27970 · 10/10 · 24 April 2023]

I would say, it grabs you in the moment, you realize the cruel lige, Camille has managed to escape and why she prefers to live in her phantasie room. A very gentle and sensitive desvription of her struggles, which gradually leed to the end.

George love is strong, unselvish, irrational and indisputable .

I don't think that the movie begins in South France, hotel Bel Reves, it is a hint to Scott Fitzgerald and Zelda's life and to Tender is the Night".

There are so many levels and I would suggest not to take the movie as a French "mad extravagance", but let it develop. It will break your heart but it will also open your world.

A deep emotional ride

[kenwills1 · 10/10 · 27 December 2022]

This film could easily be passed by in and American mindset but it has so many truths in it. The relationship between Camille and her son is one of the most touching on screen mother/son relationships I've ever seen. The unraveling of Camille is heartbreaking and also has so much honesty to it with mental illness and how it takes down whole families. George and Camille's story is one of the great love stories- and the music is fun, heartbreaking, and helps tell this epic tale. The cinematography is beautiful and really spot on with the era it's portraying. It's too bad more people in the US haven't yet seen it. It's a must watch.

Masterpiece

[charlottebeigbeder · 10/10 · 21 December 2022]

En attendant Bojangles, the book as well as the film, is in my point of view a masterpiece, and yes, nothing less! The film made a particular impression on me, I came out of it completely overwhelmed. The music, the settings, the actors: everything is there to poetize Olivier Bourdeaut's novel. Maybe I didn't have enough imagination when I read the book? Taking us from laughter to tears without warning, En Attendant Bojangles portrays two lovers, Camille (Virginie Effira) and George (Romain Duris), who laugh at norms and preconceived ideas. Coloured by this "Insoutenable légèreté de l'être", this film explains the importance of preserving innocence, joy, and of always continuing to dance in a world that is far too serious and responsible. If the fantasy and imagination of Georges is beautiful and poetic, it seems that he fights against his reason for love so as to never disappoint his Camille. Yet, the two lovers are caught up with reality as Camille gradually sinks into madness. Maybe there are some lengths, especially during the scenes in the middle of the film in the psychiatric hospital? Maybe some of Camille's madness episodes are a bit exaggerated ? Or maybe it was just not what I wanted to see? In any case, all this will never change my opinion on this film which is the highlight of my year!