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FILM DETAILS

Certificate 12A

Cast Monica Viegas Jean-Claude Donda Dirk Denoyelle Graziella de Vila Michel Robin.

Directors Sylvain Chomet.

Screenwriters Sylvain Chomet.

Running Time 81 minutes

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Belleville Rendez-Vous
French animator Chomet's first full-length adult-oriented comedy-adventure.

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Plot
During the Tour De France, ace cyclist Champion is kidnapped by the Mafia and taken to the megalopolis of Belleville. Mme. Souza, Champion's doting grandmother, mounts a daring rescue mission, aided by three ageing music hall stars.

Review
While it does not feature any sex or violence, Belleville Rendez-Vous is animation solely for adults. Shot through with sadness and satire, nostalgia and complexity, French animator Chomet's first full-length feature mixes a cracking, comedic (practically dialogue-free) adventure yarn with a hymn for times lost into something unique and cherishable.

From the opening musical number, Chomet throws in terrific set-pieces (Mme. Souza chasing an ocean liner on a pedalo, a last reel getaway that would put Hollywood to shame), subtle cultural commentary (Belleville is a thinly-disguised America), great supporting characters (the sad-faced cyclists, the hulking mobsters), and, best of all, an emotionally resonant core.

A Portuguese old dear with a clubfoot, Mme. Souza is the most unlikely cartoon hero for decades, but her implacable, resourceful spirit and indomitable desire to protect her grandson is enormously winning.

Extras

Belleville Rendez-vous Released: 26 January 2004 Via three brief scene-specific commentaries, a ‘making of’ (15 mins.), a set of interviews (33 mins.) and an animation lesson (5 mins.), Chomet gives us a good sense of the entire process, particularly how to make computer animation look like 2-D. Plus an interview with the main background artist and a music video with its own ‘making of’.

Verdict
It occasionally suffers from longeurs, but it's moving and funny with moments of genius. More of the same, s'il vous plaît.


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Average user rating for Belleville Rendez-Vous

masterpiece of animation, great characters and incredible climax! ... More

Posted by ARmy2510 at 13:06, 13 February 2011 | Report This Post

GREAT ANIMATION

The dog is even funnier than Gromit. ... More

Posted by bobbyperu at 08:22, 22 December 2008 | Report This Post

GREAT ANIMATION

The dog is even funnier than Gromit. ... More

Posted by bobbyperu at 08:22, 22 December 2008 | Report This Post

. ... More

Posted by nc_jj at 03:07, 07 April 2008 | Report This Post

. ... More

Posted by nc_jj at 03:07, 07 April 2008 | Report This Post

RE: Belleville Rendez-Vous

this is a great movie, the review is spot-on ! Well done Empire ... More

Posted by Orbital at 14:44, 25 February 2006 | Report This Post

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