The Midwife

Name: The Midwife
Genre: Drama
Released: July 21, 2017
Duration: 117 min
Rating: 66
Cast: Audrey Dana, Catherine Deneuve, Catherine Frot, Jeanne Rosa, Marie Gili-Pierre

2017

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Generally favorable reviews based on 24 Critic Reviews

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Generally favorable reviews based on 4 Ratings

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7.5

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7.5	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 4 Ratings

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The Midwife

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Movie Details & Credits

Music Box Films | Release Date: July 21, 2017 | Not Rated

Starring: Audrey Dana, Catherine Deneuve, Catherine Frot, Jeanne Rosa, Marie Gili-Pierre, Myl, Olivier Gourmet, Pauline Etienne, Pauline Parigot, Quentin Dolmaire

Summary: Claire (Catherine Frot-Marguerite) is a talented but tightly wound midwife and single mother on the cusp of losing her job as her small maternity clinic can’t compete with the nearby big hospital. Béatrice (Catherine Deneuve), is the estranged, free-spirited but broken-down mistress of Claire’s deceased father looking for redemption.Claire (Catherine Frot-Marguerite) is a talented but tightly wound midwife and single mother on the cusp of losing her job as her small maternity clinic can’t compete with the nearby big hospital. Béatrice (Catherine Deneuve), is the estranged, free-spirited but broken-down mistress of Claire’s deceased father looking for redemption. Though polar opposites in almost every way, the two women come to rely on each other to cope with the unusual circumstances that brings them together. [Music Box Films]… Expand

Director: Martin Provost

Genre(s): Drama

Rating: Not Rated

Runtime: 117 min

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Critic Reviews

100

Mick LaSalle

Jul 26, 2017

If you want to fall in love with Catherine Deneuve, don’t start with her youth. Start with her here, in her 70s, and then work your way back. Read full review

Lisa Nesselson

Jul 20, 2017

Frot and Deneuve work subtle wonders with their purpose-written roles. Read full review

Michael O'Sullivan

Jul 27, 2017

Provost’s film is, in the end, a story about attaining the wisdom that comes from forgiveness and the acceptance of those things — namely the past and the future — that none of us can control. Read full review

Joe Morgenstern

Jul 20, 2017

If the plot turns out to be a convenience, the pleasure lies in what the co-stars bring to it. Read full review

James Mottram

Aug 11, 2017

With recriminations turning to compassion, the film sings when these French titans share the screen, Deneuve’s loose cannon a mixture of hedonism and terror. If only the other scenes were as compelling. Read full review

Owen Gleiberman

Jul 20, 2017

What do you call a movie about a midlife non-crisis? How about tame, competent, mildly touching, and a little dull — except for Catherine Deneuve's fearless turn as a boozing, ailing wreck. Read full review

Diego Semerene

Jul 20, 2017

If not for its performances, the film would belong in the category of Hallmark Channel tearjerkers. Read full review

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GreatMartin

Aug 3, 2017

To see two fine performances, matched by a supporting cast, in itself makes a movie worth seeing and “The Midwife” fits that category which also has a warm, witty screenplay by Martin Provost who also directed.

Beatrice (Catherine Deneuve) is the complete opposite of Claire (Catherine Frot)To see two fine performances, matched by a supporting cast, in itself makes a movie worth seeing and “The Midwife” fits that category which also has a warm, witty screenplay by Martin Provost who also directed.

Beatrice (Catherine Deneuve) is the complete opposite of Claire (Catherine Frot) with the latter being a single mother of a son, (Quentin Dolmaire), who is attending medical school, who works the graveyard shift and leads a quiet, organized, vegetarian, unromantic life being concerned mainly with her job as a midwife in a small clinic.

Beatrice has indulged herself her whole life flitting all over, never committing to one person or thing, gambling, drinking, mooching off the few friends she has, is constantly pleasure seeking and, thirty or so years ago had been the mistress of Claire’s father.

Having recently been diagnosed with a brain tumor and cancer—this film was made way before McClain’s diagnosis—Beatrice comes searching for her ex-lover only to find his daughter who tells her he is dead.

The scenes between Claire, the well behaved, proper woman and Beatrice, anything but, are delicious scenes as they give as well as they get. They interact, sharing companionship and when Paul (Olivier Gourmet) enters the film as a potential romantic interest for Claire you can’t wait to see when, if, Beatrice ruins it.

With the cancer angle, this could have turned into a soap opera but watching Beatrice ordering wine, eating fatty meat, having dessert and smoking knowing that none are positive in her coming fight with cancer she is so exasperating yet endearing that Clair can’t turn away from her.

There is an interesting subplot dealing with Clair’s job and the clinic she works in has to close because the job of a midwife is fading in place of what is called ‘baby technicians’ plus her son is not only thinking of quitting medical school but his girlfriend is pregnant. No, not a soap opera, but things that can happen in life to make/help people change.

In regards to this, it is great seeing a film—usually French—is not shy about showing a baby actually being born or a mother openly nursing her baby without hiding her breast.

“The Midwife” is the wonder of watching two women bring magic to the screen in a delightful, warm, absorbing and winning story about relationships and how opposites can help each other.… Expand

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