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Va Savoir
Sony Pictures Classics


7.4

based on 28 reviews
Read critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

based on 7 votes
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FILM:

The Duchess of Langeais

MPAA RATING: PG-13 for brief nudity

Starring Jeanne Balibar, Sergio Castellitto, Marianne Basler, Jacques Bonnaffé, Hélène de Fougerolles, and Claude Berri

A romantic comedy which follows three men and three women as they become entangled in each other's lives during a brief run of a play in Paris. (Sony Pictures Classics)

GENRE(S):	Romance
WRITTEN BY:	Pascal Bonitzer Christine Laurent Jacques Rivette Luigi Pirandello (play Come tu mi vuoi)
DIRECTED BY:	Jacques Rivette
RELEASE DATE:	DVD: February 26, 2002 Video: February 26, 2002 Theatrical: September 29, 2001
RUNNING TIME:	154 minutes, Color
ORIGIN:	France / Italy / Germany
LANGUAGE(S):	French (with English subtitles)

Title translate in English as "Who Knows"

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

100

Christian Science Monitor David Sterritt

Magical movie, which has brilliant fun with the contrasts between film and theater, love and infatuation, reality and fantasy.

Entertainment Weekly Lisa Schwarzbaum

It's all very French, very intricate, and -- this is Rivette's magic -- seemingly as light as air.

Variety David Stratton

An entrancing ensemble piece, directed with calm assurance, acted by a fine ensemble, and structured and scripted with wit and precision.

The New York Times A.O. Scott

It's undeniably a trifle, but rarely is something like this done with such skill and, well, savoir-faire.

Los Angeles Times Kenneth Turan

This masterful celebration starts off slowly, even uncertainly, giving no hint of the rich and elegant exploration of love, jealousy and animal attraction it will in all good time become.

Salon.com Charles Taylor

Never less than witty, charming, accomplished.

New Times (L.A.) Andy Klein

The film could be subtitled "Six Characters in Search of an Ending:" When they find that ending, it is gently, delightfully uplifting.

LA Weekly Manohla Dargis

Va Savoir doesn't so much flow as wander, trailing off into drama one minute, slapstick the next; it tries your patience, but ever so gently, masterfully.

Village Voice J. Hoberman

Va Savoir has its own unhurried pace and unpredictable humor. This is the sort of comedy Robert Altman could only dream about.

Boston Globe Jay Carr

Souffle-light and airily playful.

Chicago Tribune Michael Wilmington

It may be the most serene and optimistic film Rivette has made in France. Yet even the art-house audience may undervalue it, miss the beauty, style and wit.

Portland Oregonian Kim Morgan

A vibrant, multicharacter film that entertains, disorients and enlightens.

Wall Street Journal Joe Morgenstern

Readily accessible, slyly subversive and perfectly delightful film.

Slate David Edelstein

This is lovely, momentous piffle.

Rolling Stone Peter Travers

Abounds in pleasures.

Washington Post Stephen Hunter

It gets frenetic, in the French way, but it never stops getting amusing. This is what happens when you let grown-ups make movies.

Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert

The kind of movie you settle into. It's supple and sophisticated, and it's not about much. It has no message and some will say it has no point. But it is a demonstration of grace and wit.

Philadelphia Inquirer Carrie Rickey

On a Paris rooftop about an hour into this 2-hour film, the tone shifts and the atmosphere lightens into giddy farce.

San Francisco Chronicle Edward Guthmann

Delicious but complex.

Baltimore Sun Michael Sragow

You may find Va Savoir pleasant to sit through, but will it stay with you the next morning? Who knows?

TV Guide Ken Fox

It's an engaging diversion from a master director who, at the ripe age of 78, appears to be once again at the top of his game.

New York Magazine Peter Rainer

Rivette keeps the life-is-a-play metaphysics to a minimum, and the cast, including Jeanne Balibar and Sergio Castellitto, is attractive.

Austin Chronicle Marjorie Baumgarten

Its warm humor and love for its characters ultimately wins us over to its side.

New York Daily News Jami Bernard

The movie's pleasures are spare, and will appeal mostly to die-hard Rivette fans and viewers with slow pulses.

New York Post Jonathan Foreman

Before the slightly surreal (self-consciously so) climax, there are some fine set pieces, including a disastrous dinner party that amply showcases Rivette's wonderfully light directorial touch.

Washington Post Desson Thomson

It yields surprisingly unspectacular results.

Chicago Reader Jonathan Rosenbaum

Lacks the scariness, the mystery, and even much of the curiosity of Rivette's better work.

Mr. Showbiz Kevin Maynard

The wrap-up's pretty charming, as are the performances, but the film's too heavy for its soufflé-ready ingredients.

The average user rating for this movie is 7.4 (out of 10) based on 7 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Pat C. gave it a6:
A film for extremely patient adult viewers, it explores the dynamics of conflicted multiple love interests and how those involved get bogged down in taking themselves too seriously. A full 40 minutes elapses before the story's component constitute a cohesive and interesting plot. A fine film in many respects, but it simply does not contain enough content to justify its length. A single moment of pure hilarity would have done wonders.

Yoon Min C. gave it a 9:
One of the few Rivette films with engaging characters. a sophisticated comedy of manners toyfully tinkering with dramatic possibilities, juggling conventions with reality. it lacks the heavy, strained, extended experimentations of rivette's more demanding movies, but for the general viewer va savoir is a savior following snoozefests like celine and julie or la belle noise. personally, i only like secret defense more among rivette's films.

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Va Savoir Sony Pictures Classics

Va Savoir
Sony Pictures Classics