Good acting by Auteil and Jordana. It does with many contemporary matters! Very good film!
9 Reviews
Very good!
hbamorim25 July 2018
Little tension but excellent acting
IndustriousAngel14 May 2020
A fun dramedy about two opposed characters forced to work together - a grumpy old professor and a young student of law, an immigrant girl to boot. Well, the "drama" evolves along well-trodden lines, but it's really the actors (and well-written characters) that breathe life into this movie. Daniel Auteuil needs no introduction but Camelia Jordana more than stands her ground, the scenes with only those two on screen are what makes this story tick. All other scenes and actors are ok - there's not a single really bad one - but pale in comparison. Recommended!
Lying around
Horst_In_Translation18 June 2018
Warning: Spoilers
"Le brio" which means roughly "Brilliance" is a new French movie released back in 2017 that is also predominantly in the French language. It is a mix of comedy and drama and runs for a bit over 1.5 hours and was directed by Yvan Attal who is also among the many writers attached to this project. I've seen people compare the basic story here to a modern version of Pygmalion and they may not be wrong. Anyway, BAFTA winner Daniel Auteuil shows great routine and physical acting at times here and is just as good as his young female counterpart Camélia Jordana who is not as much of a rookie as you may think she is when it comes to acting. She plays a student, Auteuil her (allegedly) racist professor. But the two enter in a professional relationship that may bring the best out of each other. This is really the heart and soul of the film. The romance relationships for the female protagonist are forgettable enough that they could have been left out completely. The drama resulting from the rich smart kid telling about the ways the professor wants to save his career feels forced and not as important as they want it to be. The young man, the taxi driver, the female protagonist really loves is okay, but the kissing scene feels a bit for the sake of it and his speech at the very end feels really not authentic at all, which is more a problem of the writer than the actor. The rise to success in the competition is okay, the subway scenes are good too. The one thing I liked here is that the film never tries to make an impact in terms of race relations from the dramatic perspective. The jokes about Fatima, halal etc. are funny yet inoffensive, which is quite a challenge to reach, but they did. It's really more a film about rhetorics, about philosophy and about the art to speak and convince other with the talent to make an impact in that field. That's much more at the center of the movie than everything else. It is well-acted, mostly well-written and if you like either of the two leads, then it is really worth checking out I'd say, especially if you have a soft spot for French films like I do. Of yourse, you may want to go for the original version then, perhaps woth subs unless you are really fluent. It's probably not one of the very best French movies from last year as moments of true greatness are not frequent, maybe non-existent even, but it's a pretty entertaining little film for over 90 minutes suitable for everybody between 18 and 80. Go see it, for Auteuil and Jordana alone.
The art of being right
philjeudy9 June 2020
...but not necessarily to tell the truth! I was pleased to discover director Yvan Attal in such a specific story, Camelia Jordana very comfortable in her role (I think she has special skills to do so) and have the confirmation that Daniel Auteuil has a great talent. A very interesting demonstration of using words, quite a French sort of story.
Great entertainment with debatable morale
anfremi14 April 2022
This was a very enjoyable story, with great acting from Camelia Jordana and Daniel Auteuil.
However, thinking more deeply about the morale of the story, it sounds like the script wants you to think that assimilation is a good thing -which is highly debatable.
Either way, great entertainment.
However, thinking more deeply about the morale of the story, it sounds like the script wants you to think that assimilation is a good thing -which is highly debatable.
Either way, great entertainment.
The Truth Doesn't Matter - It's About Being Right.
spookyrat128 June 2020
Le Brio is a wonderfully engaging ((essentially) two - hander, directed by Yvan Attal, who is also one of the film's 5 screen writers. Given the depth of the dialogue and the range of philosophical ideas explored in this economically compact 95 minute movie, this is one feature where I'm not surprised in the least that a team of writers was employed. Apparently the script was inspired by the annual debating competitions held in France's most prestigious law schools.
Entering one of these contests for the first time is the feisty and stubborn Neila a first year law student of Arab heritage. She comes from the wrong side of the Parisian socio-economic tracks, but has won selection at the Panthoen-Assas University. On the very first day of lectures, Neila is berated by her professor Pierre Mazard in front of the entire amphitheater, with Mazard dealing out an over the top bullying rant that quickly goes viral. This results in Mazard being reprimanded by his law school Dean and forced to coach Neila for the upcoming competition as a way to demonstrate that he's not a complete bigot and that the university is encouraging diversity amongst its student body. What follows could perhaps be construed as a 21st century Gallic reboot of Educating Rita. But I think that would be doing Le Brio a disservice.
The second act sees a series of tutoring sessions between the seemingly mismatched pair, as Mazard lectures Neila on the art of winning arguments, citing Arthur Schopenhauer's The Art of Being Right, as his text basis. Rather than being conflictingly dry, much entertainment follows, as we see Neila attempting to bring theory into practice in venues such as crowded carriages on the Paris Metro. Also appealing and arguably worthy of more follow-up was the singular peek into Neila's home life, where we meet her supportive single mother and grandmother, in a priceless family dinner setting, which contrasted with Mazard's difficulties in socially engaging in his solitary life outside the law school's doors.
It's in the nature of these "loser comes good" films that the protagonist develops despite the challenges ahead and so it is in Le Brio where for awhile, the spotlight is shone on the running of these staged debating competitions, which I admit, I found fascinating. However in a mild, somewhat contrived third act twist, Neila's summative presentation is delivered in an unexpected forum, to a different audience.
Leads Camelia Jordana and Daniel Auteuil are quite superb in their roles of student and teacher respectively, offering up several juicy verbal bouts alongside a few scenes of genuine emotion. Director Attal succeeds in a producing a discussion involving a host of provocative social issues, such as race, religion and class in the most eloquent and imaginative cinematic way possible. At the same time, in doing so, he reinforces the old truism about best teachers not necessarily making for the best people.
Entering one of these contests for the first time is the feisty and stubborn Neila a first year law student of Arab heritage. She comes from the wrong side of the Parisian socio-economic tracks, but has won selection at the Panthoen-Assas University. On the very first day of lectures, Neila is berated by her professor Pierre Mazard in front of the entire amphitheater, with Mazard dealing out an over the top bullying rant that quickly goes viral. This results in Mazard being reprimanded by his law school Dean and forced to coach Neila for the upcoming competition as a way to demonstrate that he's not a complete bigot and that the university is encouraging diversity amongst its student body. What follows could perhaps be construed as a 21st century Gallic reboot of Educating Rita. But I think that would be doing Le Brio a disservice.
The second act sees a series of tutoring sessions between the seemingly mismatched pair, as Mazard lectures Neila on the art of winning arguments, citing Arthur Schopenhauer's The Art of Being Right, as his text basis. Rather than being conflictingly dry, much entertainment follows, as we see Neila attempting to bring theory into practice in venues such as crowded carriages on the Paris Metro. Also appealing and arguably worthy of more follow-up was the singular peek into Neila's home life, where we meet her supportive single mother and grandmother, in a priceless family dinner setting, which contrasted with Mazard's difficulties in socially engaging in his solitary life outside the law school's doors.
It's in the nature of these "loser comes good" films that the protagonist develops despite the challenges ahead and so it is in Le Brio where for awhile, the spotlight is shone on the running of these staged debating competitions, which I admit, I found fascinating. However in a mild, somewhat contrived third act twist, Neila's summative presentation is delivered in an unexpected forum, to a different audience.
Leads Camelia Jordana and Daniel Auteuil are quite superb in their roles of student and teacher respectively, offering up several juicy verbal bouts alongside a few scenes of genuine emotion. Director Attal succeeds in a producing a discussion involving a host of provocative social issues, such as race, religion and class in the most eloquent and imaginative cinematic way possible. At the same time, in doing so, he reinforces the old truism about best teachers not necessarily making for the best people.
Good chemistry between Auteuil and Camélia Jordana, and excellent dialogues
guisreis2 November 2023
Well, there is nothing new in a script where two people need to cooperate and their relationship makes one to be changed by each other. There is also nothing new in a master-apprentice relationship in cinema where the guru uses unusual methods in order to teach. Anyway, despite all that, the film is cute, charming and does have some fantastic dialogues. Daniel Auteuil is one of the best French actors and Camélia Jordana has a awesome performance too, with both having fantastic chemistry together on screen. The movie deals with a serious social and political problem in a light-hearted but not permissive way. I may say it is much more optimistic than politically counterproductive. Not only people with lower class and peripheral background may succeed, particularly when there are opportunities and solidarity, but also those who behave badly may not always repeat that and can change. The example of the former, Neïla, could witness the example of the latter, Prof. Mazard. The remarkable scene of the first time both characters met, in the classroom, was sharp and very well written, directed and performed.
LE PYGMALION
MadamWarden27 March 2022
A cute little movie with solid performances from the two leads and a slick-ish script. Not too saccharin and some amusing, if somewhat pretentious and forced moments. Great Marvin Gaye soundtrack.
An entertaining watch.
An entertaining watch.
Me encanta este profesor. I love this teacher
Andres-Camara27 September 2018
Warning: Spoilers
Me encanta, porque no se corta, es políticamente incorrecto y no le importa. Si algo está mal hecho lo dice, seas quien seas. La película no va mucho más allá. El principio es muy bueno, pero luego es bastante simple y predecible. Llegas a cogerle cariño al profesor.
Los dos están muy bien. Pero el papel de él, es mucho más agradecido. El de ella, pues desde el principio es bonito y ya está.
Creo que la última secuencia sobra totalmente. Con la secuencia anterior, ya ha quedado claro lo que quiere demostrar. En la última es redundante y solo alarga lo que ya sabes.
La iluminación es bastante simple. Está muy bien en los interiores. Pero en los exteriores de día es mala. No ayuda mucho a la película.
La dirección, bueno ni buena ni mala. Lleva la película donde quiere y ya está. No espero ningún plano bonito y no lo tiene. No sabe narrar con la cámara. Solo sigue la película. No aburre, pero tampoco te llega a atrapar.
Es una película bonita más, en la que gracias al profesor, la película gana mucho.
I love it, because it is not cut, it is politically incorrect and it does not matter. If something is wrong, it says it, be who you are. The movie does not go much further. The principle is very good, but then it is quite simple and predictable. You get to love the teacher.
Both are very good. But his role is much more grateful. Hers, because from the beginning it's pretty and that's it.
I think the last sequence is totally redundant. With the previous sequence, it is already clear what you want to demonstrate. In the latter it is redundant and only lengthens what you already know.
The lighting is quite simple. It is very good in the interiors. But on the outside day is bad. It does not help much to the movie.
The address, good neither good nor bad. Take the movie where you want and you're done. I do not expect any nice shot and it does not. He does not know how to narrate with the camera. Just follow the movie. It does not bore, but neither does it catch you.
It's a nice movie more, in which thanks to the teacher, the movie wins a lot
Los dos están muy bien. Pero el papel de él, es mucho más agradecido. El de ella, pues desde el principio es bonito y ya está.
Creo que la última secuencia sobra totalmente. Con la secuencia anterior, ya ha quedado claro lo que quiere demostrar. En la última es redundante y solo alarga lo que ya sabes.
La iluminación es bastante simple. Está muy bien en los interiores. Pero en los exteriores de día es mala. No ayuda mucho a la película.
La dirección, bueno ni buena ni mala. Lleva la película donde quiere y ya está. No espero ningún plano bonito y no lo tiene. No sabe narrar con la cámara. Solo sigue la película. No aburre, pero tampoco te llega a atrapar.
Es una película bonita más, en la que gracias al profesor, la película gana mucho.
I love it, because it is not cut, it is politically incorrect and it does not matter. If something is wrong, it says it, be who you are. The movie does not go much further. The principle is very good, but then it is quite simple and predictable. You get to love the teacher.
Both are very good. But his role is much more grateful. Hers, because from the beginning it's pretty and that's it.
I think the last sequence is totally redundant. With the previous sequence, it is already clear what you want to demonstrate. In the latter it is redundant and only lengthens what you already know.
The lighting is quite simple. It is very good in the interiors. But on the outside day is bad. It does not help much to the movie.
The address, good neither good nor bad. Take the movie where you want and you're done. I do not expect any nice shot and it does not. He does not know how to narrate with the camera. Just follow the movie. It does not bore, but neither does it catch you.
It's a nice movie more, in which thanks to the teacher, the movie wins a lot
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