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- 2016
- IFC Films
- 1 h 55 m
- 2016
- IFC Films
- 1 h 55 m
Summary An American family settles into the French countryside at the end of the First World War, where the father (Liam Cunningham) is involved in the peace negotiations around the Treaty of Versailles. His wife (Berenice Bejo) is a devout Christian who struggles with the tantrums of their defiant young son (Tom Sweet), whose willful outbursts ...
Directed By: Brady Corbet
Written By: Mona Fastvold, Jean-Paul Sartre, Brady Corbet
- 2016
- IFC Films
- 1 h 55 m
- 2016
- IFC Films
- 1 h 55 m
The Childhood of a Leader
68
6.8
Where to Watch
Summary An American family settles into the French countryside at the end of the First World War, where the father (Liam Cunningham) is involved in the peace negotiations around the Treaty of Versailles. His wife (Berenice Bejo) is a devout Christian who struggles with the tantrums of their defiant young son (Tom Sweet), whose willful outbursts ...
Directed By: Brady Corbet
Written By: Mona Fastvold, Jean-Paul Sartre, Brady Corbet
Where to Watch
Top Cast
Metascore
Generally Favorable
Based on 20 Critic Reviews
68
80% Positive
16 Reviews
16 Reviews
15% Mixed
3 Reviews
3 Reviews
5% Negative
1 Review
1 Review
Metascore
Generally Favorable
Based on 20 Critic Reviews
68
80% Positive
16 Reviews
16 Reviews
15% Mixed
3 Reviews
3 Reviews
5% Negative
1 Review
1 Review
The Childhood of a Leader is a dark, enigmatic piece of work that hovers between visionary greatness and petty domestic triviality. Corbet's inaugural stint behind the camera marks a stunning debut.
Submit to Corbet’s vision and you’ll find something original and unsettling.
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 25 User Ratings
6.8
64% Positive
16 Ratings
16 Ratings
28% Mixed
7 Ratings
7 Ratings
8% Negative
2 Ratings
2 Ratings
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 25 User Ratings
6.8
64% Positive
16 Ratings
16 Ratings
28% Mixed
7 Ratings
7 Ratings
8% Negative
2 Ratings
2 Ratings
"The Childhood of a Leader" is a very academic movie, in the good way. Very humble, graceful and mature. Intimate but never obscene, the storyline dare to transcend "L'Enfance d'un Chef" from Jean-Paul Sartre, to bring the characters as far as possible. A masterpiece.
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Slow paced but effective horror drama with the same spirit of Roman Polanski early jobs. In a minimalist scenario shows the birth and making of a monster with an angelic face. Not for all tastes, is´nt easy to know what´s the point.
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The ending doesn’t quite land, but this timely right-wing allegory promises there’s much more to come from Corbet.
What could very easily be received as an irritating, pretentious feature debut is actually a display of controlled madness full of astute touches.
If only for a few minutes, The Childhood Of A Leader becomes its own film, a tour of the printing presses, paternoster elevators, and mazes of power that ends with a convulsive blur of bodies crowding in a public square. A viewer can’t help but think, “What took so long?”
Alternating immense bombast with long stretches of longueur in its psychologically questionable evocation of the formative years of a future despot, the film is formally confident, stylistically inventive and intensely irritating.
Brady Corbet reaches for a dreary self-importance akin to Michael Haneke’s The White Ribbon.
A drama film based on a 2015 novel. It tells the story of a child who is brought up under pressure and coercion by disinterested parents. I've been a child, possibly rebellious, and as the pressure on him increases, he becomes more rebellious. Eventually this kid grows up and becomes a dictator. The child actor who plays the role really does justice to the role. The music used in the movie is beautiful. There is one final scene, which is incredible. It is exquisite with both the shooting style and the music. Although the movie is static, it is watched with interest.
There is no sex or nudity in the movie. However, it is a question that the child focuses on his chest, which is visible under the teacher's shirt while taking lessons, and the scene takes a little longer.
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The concept promises much more than this movie delivers. Lot's of beautiful looking scenes where not much of consequence happens. A child that is indulged to be sure, ignored when suited and once beaten (that we see), but it doesn't adds up to a childhood or parents that could be accused of sowing of the seeds of a sociopath. To further complicate, we are shown only a brief snap shot of this childhood, then a huge time jump to reveal, for the final few minutes... The Leader. That's about it. It was OK, heavy on artistic pretension and the ushering in of a new directing prodigy, which is possibly why critics are turning somersaults over it.
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Comparisons to the current A Star Is Born are inevitable, but there's no comparison on any level. This somewhat experimental film wears its edgy credentials all over the place: random visual styles, quirky editing, heavy-handed, even melodramatic score (not to mention the clunky narration). It follows a young woman as she endures a traumatic event, then goes on to become a pop star. The role is first played by Raffey Cassidy, then after about 45 minutes, by Natalie Portman, Confusingly, all of the other main roles keep the same actors for both time periods. This role gives Portman a chance to strap on a New York accent, become a ranting, self-absorbed rock star with personal issues (nothing new here) and even perform a mini concert (songs by Sia). The film tries to make some statements and dazzle with showy style. Even so, there's still a weirdly compelling aspect that keeps it from being a totally self-indulgent mess.
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Production Company
Scion Pictures,
Bow and Arrow Entertainment,
Bron Capital Partners,
Crystal Wealth,
Unanimous Entertainment,
MACT Productions,
FilmTeam,
Scope Pictures,
Studio l'Équipe
Release Date Jul 22, 2016
Duration 1 h 55 m
Genres
Tagline Witness the birth of a terrifying ego
Website
http://secret-monster.jp/
Awards
Venice Film Festival
• 3 Wins & 4 Nominations
Lisbon & Estoril Film Festival
• 2 Wins & 2 Nominations
Istanbul Film Festival
• 1 Win & 2 Nominations
