To Be and to Have
To Be and to Have Image
Metascore
86 out of 100

Universal acclaim - based on 25 Critics What's this?

User Score
9.0 out of 10

Universal acclaim- based on 22 Ratings

Your Score
0 out of 10
Rate this:
  • Summary: Inspired by the French phenomenon of 'single-class' schools, this film charts the life of a small one-class village school over the course of one academic year, and takes a warm and serene look at primary education in the French heartlands. (New Yorker Films)

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 24 out of 25
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 25
  3. Negative: 0 out of 25
  1. Boston Globe
    Reviewed by: Wesley Morris
    100
    Nothing momentous happens here, but Philibert has a magical sense of how to find the simple poetry lurking in the universal routine of being a kid. A lot of the film's lyricism is extracurricular.
  2. Baltimore Sun
    Reviewed by: Michael Sragow
    100
    Little miracles spring up throughout this picture.
  3. New York Magazine (Vulture)
    Reviewed by: Peter Rainer
    80
    The emotional honesty of this movie rescues it from sentimentality. To Be and to Have is about more than a dedicated teacher and his pupils; it’s about how difficult and exhilarating it is to grow into an adult.
  4. TV Guide
    Reviewed by: Ken Fox
    60
    Simple but deeply touching documentary.

See all 25 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 12 out of 12
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 12
  3. Negative: 0 out of 12
  1. AnnP.
    10
    I a long-time teacher, and I fell in love with the entire class - students and teacher.
  2. FrancineH.
    10
    Warm and wonderful! It is the kind of movie that inspires and entertains. Georges Lopez is a gentle, kind, wise man with a heart for his students' successes. Lovely man and lovely film.… Expand
  3. SteveF.
    10
    A feast for the eyes, mind, and heart. It is hard to imagine a better teacher, or a film better at catching the mystery of teaching.
  4. joomjim4
    10
    [Simple but deeply touching, Magical sense of warmth, Graceful, Emotional absorbing]
    The sense of simpliness, incnocence and truthfulness ast    onishingly constructs one of the most unique and incredibly heart-warming films ever created. A Remarkable Accomplishment in the World of Film.… Expand

See all 12 User Reviews

Current Movie Releases

Full List »
  1. Star Trek Into Darkness
    User Score 7.8
  2. The Great Gatsby
    User Score 7.6
  3. Evil Dead (2013)
    User Score 7.6
  4. The Croods
    User Score 7.4
  5. 42
    User Score 7.3
  6. Oblivion
    User Score 7.1
  7. Iron Man 3
    User Score 6.6
  8. Pain & Gain
    User Score 6.5
  9. Olympus Has Fallen
    User Score 6.4
  10. G.I. Joe: Retaliation
    User Score 5.5
  11. The Host
    User Score 4.6
  12. Scary Movie 5
    User Score 2.6
  13. Tyler Perry's Temptation
    User Score 2.0
All Current Movies »