Between a beautiful postcard from the Cévennes, a donkey road trip, and a nice slice of life that begins as a farce on adultery. I had a great time in this universe, far from the fat and heavy lines of a lot of films released these days. Try it.
16 Reviews
After watching the movie I finished with a smile on my face.
alejandro-bonilla11 June 2021
When a film is well written and remains faithful to the basic feeling for which it was wanted to make, jobs like this are obtained. After watching the movie I finished with a smile on my face, sometimes a fairy tale story is necessary even if it is not about a white horse and it is not necessarily a true prince, but the magic is always there for those who know where to look.
Donkey Path
ricardojorgeramalho11 March 2023
A comedy that takes the journey as a metaphor for life, almost like a Road Movie, but on a donkey, through the beautiful countryside of the Cévennes. The big difference, to the typical Road Movie, is that the path here is constructive, invites reflection, the enjoyment of life, the moment, the company, and not destructive, nihilistic, terminal, as happens when traveling by car on the tarmac.
Laure Calamy has a distinct presence, pleasant and relaxed, almost sensual. Patrick, the donkey, also acquires an unexpected role, as the unlikely companion on this journey of self-knowledge and vital rebalancing, in contact with nature and animal life.
A pleasant and surprising film, insofar as it offers more than what it promises.
Laure Calamy has a distinct presence, pleasant and relaxed, almost sensual. Patrick, the donkey, also acquires an unexpected role, as the unlikely companion on this journey of self-knowledge and vital rebalancing, in contact with nature and animal life.
A pleasant and surprising film, insofar as it offers more than what it promises.
Sweet little movie
hooftr6 June 2021
A sweet little movie and a couple of things you may not know about Robert Louis Stevenson, the author of Treasure Island and Dr. Jekyll and Mister Hyde. Beautiful landscapes and gentle people all around in this dreamy production.
Cinema Omnivore - My Donkey, My Lover & I (2020) 7.1/10
lasttimeisaw25 March 2022
"Inspired by Robert Louis Stevenson's "Travels with a Donkey in the Cévennes", MY DONKEY, MY LOVER & I revamps the story to the modern day, schoolteacher Antoinette (Calamy) impulsively takes the hiking trip in the Cévennes hoping to track down her married lover Vladimir (Lavernhe), who vacations with his family in the environs. Paired with a donkey named Patrick, Antoinette must learn to maneuver her mulish traveling companion all by herself. One of the film's successes can be contributed to the funny two-play between Antoinette and Patrick (actually played by two different donkeys, one meek, the other refractory), the hiking provides a conduit for Antoinette to speak out loud of her relationship with Vladimir, to vent out the whys and wherefores of staying in an extramarital affair, actually Vignal's script provides enough insight to make Antoinette's choice plausible."
read my full review on my blog: Cinema Omnivore, thanks.
read my full review on my blog: Cinema Omnivore, thanks.
more donkey
SnoopyStyle12 May 2023
Warning: Spoilers
School teacher Antoinette Lapouge is having an affair with her young student's married father Vladimir Loubier. She is excited to have a week long getaway with him until he cancels their plan. He's taking his wife instead. In frustration, she goes on the same trip anyways, a hike in a national park with a donkey.
The donkey is fun. When she wakes up with the animals, it's a culmination of the best section of the film. Her conflict with the wife is interesting although something heartbreaking could be done with the girl. I would cut out the biker. She really should take her own advice and spend more time alone especially with the donkey. I want more donkey time.
The donkey is fun. When she wakes up with the animals, it's a culmination of the best section of the film. Her conflict with the wife is interesting although something heartbreaking could be done with the girl. I would cut out the biker. She really should take her own advice and spend more time alone especially with the donkey. I want more donkey time.
the plans of mice and men... oft go astray.
ksf-23 February 2024
In kanopy, it's listed as my donkey, my lover and i; in imdb, it's antoinette dans les cévennes. When vlad can't go away with antoinette on a vacation, she decides to follow him anyway. But there's one problem. Vlad's vacation will be spent with his own wife and daughter.... on a long, difficult hike in the french mountains. And the group antoinette is in disapproves. (why would she tell them anyway?) things go okay. Until vlad's wife confronts her on the trail. And then her donkey starts acting up. It's simple but cute. Moves quite slowly. Part of the charm is the beauty of the countryside. Not a lot happens, but antoinette learns a few things before it's over. Beautiful scenery of les cévennes in françe. For the details of stevenson's actual journey, see the travels with a donkey entry in wikipedia. Directed by caroline vignal. Inspired by robert L stevenson's book.
A charming, popular success
Pasky7426 October 2020
This charming, bucolic comedy is undeniably the most beautiful surprise that French cinema has given us lately. At times, it made me think of 'Wild' (with Reese Witherspoon), but without the dramatic side of it. It's more a 'light' comedy, with a 'screwball' side to it.
Caroline Vignal initiates a dialogue with Stevenson's own novel, 'Travels With a Donkey in the Cévennes', a book that has since become one of the pillars of modern 'travel literature' and that is linked with the emotional journey of Antoinette.
The latter is played by Laure Calamy who finds with this project her first leading role that allows her to fully display her tremendous acting skills. In addition of being in every frames and frequently alone on the screen, facing an imperturbable donkey, she composes a complex comic performance. Oftenly funny without ever appearing like an idiot, she succeeds to express, between her moments of touching clumsiness, a strong sensitivity though marvelously avoiding any boring lament tirades.
My Donkey, My Lover & I is a very sweet portrait of a very likeable human being, and her sincere energy is so irresistible you can only follow her in her great journey.
All a bit silly.
mrglenngrant31 August 2022
Warning: Spoilers
This wasn't what I expected it to be ... and ended up being a bit of a French farce.
Right from the get-go it was obvious. Who decides to gate-crash their married lover's holiday - especially hiking alone with a donkey. I've only myself to blame since all the clues were in the synopsis but I was swayed by the Simon & Mark review ... before I left the church ... and the decent score on imdb.
Having said that, it wasn't awful and did improve as it went along. The scenery was wonderful. Patrick was the star of the movie and Antoinette seemed to find herself a bit of happiness by the end.
43/100.
Right from the get-go it was obvious. Who decides to gate-crash their married lover's holiday - especially hiking alone with a donkey. I've only myself to blame since all the clues were in the synopsis but I was swayed by the Simon & Mark review ... before I left the church ... and the decent score on imdb.
Having said that, it wasn't awful and did improve as it went along. The scenery was wonderful. Patrick was the star of the movie and Antoinette seemed to find herself a bit of happiness by the end.
43/100.
Delightful French Comedy
paulscofield6830 April 2021
Laughter is a medicine
sherstinton29 May 2021
From the opening frame this film had me . Quirky delightful engaging Antoinette takes off on what is first a stalking hiking holiday But gains so much more the scenery is unbelievable . And it followes the hiking trail of Robert Louis Stevenson
The adorable donkey will win over any cold heart . Laughter all the way through with great comic timing.
Weird and perverse
sparklefish15 December 2023
I didn't like it all all and gave up after about an hour. I didn't like the whole premise of a grammar school teacher sleeping with her student's married father and then imposing herself on their family vacation, even going so far as to sleep in their cabin. It wasn't cute, romantic, or funny, it was disgusting.
Laure Calamy is a fine actress and I have enjoyed her performances in Call My Agent and other movies. She still does a great job in this role. It's just a sucky role.
One nice thing was the pretty scenery of hills and meadows so I am rating this movie two stars.
I watched it in French with English subtitles.
Laure Calamy is a fine actress and I have enjoyed her performances in Call My Agent and other movies. She still does a great job in this role. It's just a sucky role.
One nice thing was the pretty scenery of hills and meadows so I am rating this movie two stars.
I watched it in French with English subtitles.
Just beautiful
marioberger-4500427 May 2021
Attractive lead, but the story..
elision107 January 2024
I made it through an hour. I'm not this big prude, and maybe the French are just more sophisticated about these things. But it's hard for me to be lighthearted about adultery. People get hurt. And she's the teacher of his kid for God's sake. And the plot and her incompetence about things, and her sentimentality about animals, are annoying. So it's wrong to give a mule a whack, but OK to cheerfully commit adultery, as if there isn't another party who is going to get hurt? Even if the adultery bit didn't bother me, it's not compelling. Her interactions with the donkey are not particularly amusing. The lead is winsome, but also rather silly and naive. If you can get the movie free on Kanopy, OK, but I wouldn't pay for it.
I'M HAPPY THAT I WATCHED IT.
Parsa_Izadpanah2 September 2021
Of course,it's not a masterpiece,but this kind of movies are know what they are and aware of what they want to show to the viewers.
This is not as symbolic as other movies in cannes(i know the last year film festival was canceled) so basically everyone can watch it and understand the point of the movie and still,have a good time with their family.
This is not as symbolic as other movies in cannes(i know the last year film festival was canceled) so basically everyone can watch it and understand the point of the movie and still,have a good time with their family.
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