X
- 2019
- R
- Sundance Selects
- 1 h 48 m
- 2019
- R
- Sundance Selects
- 1 h 48 m
Summary Set amidst the bohemian intelligentsia of the Parisian publishing world, Non-Fiction traces the romantic and emotional fallout that results when a controversial writer (Vincent Macaigne) begins blurring the line between fact and fiction, using his real-life love affairs—including a passionate fling with an actress (Juliette Binoche) who ...
Directed By: Olivier Assayas
Written By: Olivier Assayas
- 2019
- R
- Sundance Selects
- 1 h 48 m
- 2019
- R
- Sundance Selects
- 1 h 48 m
Non-Fiction
78
7.3
Where to Watch
Summary Set amidst the bohemian intelligentsia of the Parisian publishing world, Non-Fiction traces the romantic and emotional fallout that results when a controversial writer (Vincent Macaigne) begins blurring the line between fact and fiction, using his real-life love affairs—including a passionate fling with an actress (Juliette Binoche) who ...
Directed By: Olivier Assayas
Written By: Olivier Assayas
Where to Watch
Top Cast
Metascore
Generally Favorable
Based on 29 Critic Reviews
78
90% Positive
26 Reviews
26 Reviews
10% Mixed
3 Reviews
3 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Metascore
Generally Favorable
Based on 29 Critic Reviews
78
90% Positive
26 Reviews
26 Reviews
10% Mixed
3 Reviews
3 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
This is a sexy, fun film filled with a lot of zingers, but it also feels a little less personal than many of Assayas’ movies, perhaps in part because it’s not stuffed to the gills with songs he loves.
There are chuckles and even guffaws throughout, though the comedy is streaked with despair, and also great tenderness. It’s the latest evidence of the director’s gift for tackling grave subjects with the lightest of touches; the film flows airily along, then knocks you off-balance with the weight of its insights and implications.
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 20 User Ratings
7.3
65% Positive
13 Ratings
13 Ratings
35% Mixed
7 Ratings
7 Ratings
0% Negative
0 Ratings
0 Ratings
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 20 User Ratings
7.3
65% Positive
13 Ratings
13 Ratings
35% Mixed
7 Ratings
7 Ratings
0% Negative
0 Ratings
0 Ratings
Perhaps only the French can make a light, witty, character-driven comedy like this –- on a serious subject (digital communication and its effects on book writing and publishing). Having read that sentence, you probably already know whether you want to keep reading this review –- or think about seeing this movie. If you know at least a little bit about the French and –- better yet -- know some French natives (I learned young by having two of them as professors in college), and find witty films funny (and can read subtitles for hours on end), I think you will thoroughly enjoy this film as I did. The film is hilarious, but I think only a few of us in the theater were laughing.
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In 1927 Al Jolson sang and spoke in a movie instantly making 'silents' become 'talkies' and for many years most movies had a lot of talk with some silence and then the "Star Wars", "Indiana Jones" among others brought the more action than talking in films. "Non-Fiction" is definitely a talking movie with, maybe, 3 minutes of silence, no dialogue!
There is a lot of talk mainly about books being published, print versus digital, where blogs are the novels, documentaries, etc., and what Truman Capote in 1966 called a non-fiction novel an author here refers to his work as 'autofiction', works based on his real life with names, places and, possibly, events changed.
Leonard (Vincent Macaigne) the author is having an affair with Selena (Juliette Binoche) the wife of his editor, Alain, (Guillaume Canet) who is having an affair with Laure (Christa Theret) who Alain has brought into the company to head the digital department. The only one not having an affair is Leonard's wife, Valerie, (Nora Hamzawi), who is aware and okay with her husband's affair, (hey folks this IS a French film!) as she is very busy helping a Socialist candidate running for office.
The film starts with Alain telling Leonard that he won't publish his latest book which leads to many very interesting discussions about today's publishing world and what it may be tomorrow. Even with scenes of the various couples in, and out of, bed there is talk about writing, reading, authors and what the latter use for source material. Here and there other, non-literary, topics are discussed, some for humor others to explain their relationships but it all gets back to what Leonard's new book is about and the 'autofiction' that pleases the woman, Selena, he is having the affair with or his wife, Valerie, who doesn't want to know anything about the affair.
"Non-Fiction" though well acted and interesting belongs more on PBS or a Hollywood Reporter round table session as it needs a more intimate setting than a theatre auditorium and a large movie screen and you very seldom hear me suggest that!
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Most of all it’s about talking. It’s practically a nonstop jabberathon. What rescues the film from tedium is that much of the talk is enticing.
Either way, though, Mr. Assayas, whose previous work has ranged from the tossed-off beguilements of “Irma Vep” to the docudramatic brilliance of “Carlos,” has created a small but special diversion that fairly vibrates with stylish performances and flies in the face of marketing fashion — a talkie with an abundance of good talk.
The experience of watching it is rather like swooping down and catching people living their lives.
This is, in other words, Assayas’ homage to highbrow gabfests — the mid-period films of Woody Allen (complete with a Bergman reference) and especially the work of Éric Rohmer, the pseudonymous critic-turned-director who made a career of exploring his characters’ private dilemmas, but remained famously secretive about his own personal life.
It’s a film that ostentatiously concerns itself with contemporary, zeitgeisty issues such as digital culture and the internet, and whether this is undermining the world of reading and books. But strip out the strained speechifying on that subject and it could have been made at any time in the last 40 years.
If your idea of a fun is watching a bunch of Parisian intellectuals sit around talking about the future of publishing, this is the film for you. Since it's French, there are several extramarital affairs to add spice, but there's no drama or emotion…just extended conversations. Even though it's billed as a comedy, the humor eluded me. The only mildly amusing moment is when they refer to Juliette Binoche as an actor, when she's also playing the lead in this movie. The actors are all convincing, but the film is hindered by the low-key approach and endless subject-matter chatter. In French with subtitles.
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Production Company
CG Cinéma,
Vortex Sutra,
Arte France Cinéma,
Playtime,
ARTE,
Canal+,
Ciné+,
Cinécapital,
Cinéventure 3,
Cofinova 14,
Indéfilms 6,
La Banque Postale Image 11,
Sofica Manon 8,
SofiTVciné 5,
Lynk Investments Trading Service Construction
Release Date May 3, 2019
Duration 1 h 48 m
Rating R
Tagline A comedy about current affairs
Awards
International Online Cinema Awards (INOCA)
• 2 Wins & 3 Nominations
Cabourg Romantic Film Festival
• 1 Win & 1 Nomination
Venice Film Festival
• 1 Nomination
