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Me and my girlfriend wanted to go to the movies but nothing good was out. We checked the local foreign theater and this film seemed quite appealing from the trailers. So we took a plunge and checked it out. I was pleased enough to come post about it. I wasn't even sure if it was a true story. Here's a cut and paste quote:The Diving Bell and the Butterfly is a remarkable true story of Jean-Dominique Bauby (Mathieu Amalric), a successful and charismatic editor-in-chief of French Elle, who believes he is living his life to its absolute fullest when a sudden stroke leaves him in a life-altered state. While the physical challenges of Bauby's fate leave him with little hope for the future, he begins to discover how his life's passions, his rich memories and his newfound imagination can help him achieve a life without boundaries. In conclusion this man is living a lavish lifestyle of nice cars, money, adventures, and an affair with his wife (or mother of his children). He doesn't really spend enough time with his father or children. At 43 he is struck with a stroke that leaves him with a condition called "Locked in syndrome". His whole body is pretty much paralyzed except for his left eyelid, which he uses to communicate. One blink is yes, two is no. And having others go through an alphabet while he blinks to spell works and communicate. Jean-Dominique Bauby was apathetic at first but with the support of his loved ones and hospital workers/therapists he attempts to break free from his sickness using his imagination and memories. He eventually comes to write a book about his experience and died 10 days after it was published. I was half expecting a drama fest but was incredibly surprised. The cinematography, visuals, music, and everything else was top notch like many foreign/French films. I highly recommend it to anyone. The movie did a good job of portraying his ideas, experiences, difficulties and joys, and day to day life. I was really impressed with the actor. I wasn't quite sure how they made his face so droopy like those who suffer from strokes. It was very believable and I'm curious as to how they made his face like that. Trailer - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G69Zh7YIg8c Book wiki - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Diving_Bell_and_the_Butterfly Movie wiki - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Diving_Bell_and_the_Butterfly_%28film%29 I give the film a 5/5. I plan on buying the book as well. The trailer also has Explosions in the Sky. That was enough to sell me.
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Jan 16, 2008 01:05
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A very good movie. I think it might be a tiny bit too slow at the beginning; I didn't really get into it until Bauby started "talking." But he wasn't very into it himself, so it's probably intentional. Overall, a very interesting, entertaining and affecting movie. 4.5/5, rounded up to 5/5
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Jan 22, 2008 17:36
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A well written and produced movie. I saw the movie at a local art cinema (BAM Rose Cinemas) here in Brooklyn, and I think the crowd made the movie more enjoyable (older folks that would appreciate a film). Although Bauby is witty and always looks at the bright side of things, it's so depressing to put yourself in the shoes of him for two hours. The book is fantastic, everyone should definitely pick it up to get a different perspective on life, literally!  5/5
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Jan 23, 2008 04:17
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This was definitely my favourite foreign film of the year. The direction was amazing, I can imagine that the script was extremely daunting, but Schnabel pulled it off perfectly. The first act really establishes a great claustrophobic feel, you really begin to empathize with Bauby. The second half of the film is even more beautiful than the first, the passages culled from the book are perfect. They reflect the message that the book tries to get across very well and makes the film just as important and moving as it has the potential to be. 5/5
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Feb 11, 2008 07:55
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Visually astounding (The scene where Jean-do kisses the princess, The whole scene at Lourdes, Driving with his son) but the film feels really slow at times. The whole "E S A R ...." thing becomes tedious after a while. A really solid film though not really for everyone. 4/5 Edit: Do yourself a favor and watch this in French.
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Aug 5, 2009 07:19
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