Petite Maman

Neon | Release Date: December 3, 2021

7.7	USER SCORE Generally favorable reviews based on 48 Ratings

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JLuis_001Feb 24, 2022

The magic of a great filmmaker is to take something ordinary and make something amazing out of it.
In just 70 minutes, Céline Sciamma delivers a well-rounded experience.
And the best and most important thing is that the journey that theThe magic of a great filmmaker is to take something ordinary and make something amazing out of it.
In just 70 minutes, Céline Sciamma delivers a well-rounded experience.

And the best and most important thing is that the journey that the director proposes does not try to be far-fetched or some kind of existential fantasy. The idea shown in her young protagonist is so basic that even a young audience could understand it.
Perhaps it's all in the mind of the little girl, but that doesn't detract one iota from the magic on which this little story works.

And after all, if that's what you're going to question about this film, you've completely missed the point.… Expand

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

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DawdlingPoetFeb 20, 2022

This is a charming, imaginative/escapist watch, depicting a young girls take on the situations she comes across at her young age, including her mum suffering grief at the loss of a relative. I thought it was quite touching how the mother andThis is a charming, imaginative/escapist watch, depicting a young girls take on the situations she comes across at her young age, including her mum suffering grief at the loss of a relative. I thought it was quite touching how the mother and child interact, their bond and how emotionally frank some of the discussions are between parent, relative, friend and child. It is quite touching at times. There's a charming innocence to it and the lack of clear direction somehow adds to the intrigue about what the young girl is pursuing. I really enjoyed it and so I'd recommend it, yes.… Expand

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

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bertobellamyApr 7, 2022

After 'Portrait of a Lady on Fire,' Céline Sciamma returns with another intimate portrait of love between women, but this time from a different angle.

The story follows Nelly, a small girl that accompanies his young mother to empty herAfter 'Portrait of a Lady on Fire,' Céline Sciamma returns with another intimate portrait of love between women, but this time from a different angle.

The story follows Nelly, a small girl that accompanies his young mother to empty her grandma's house, who just died. There, in the woods, she encounters another girl, who may have an unexpected connection with her.

'Petite Maman' may not have the raw force of his previous effort; still, the sensibility in its characters transcends its short duration and the apparent simplicity of the story.

And what is really striking about the film is the acting of the two little girls, who, of course, are twin sisters in real life. Sciamma takes advantage of this bond by posing a fantastical but very intriguing concept that I don't want to spoil. All in all, 'Petite Maman' proves that Sciamma is a master when it comes to transmitting pain with nothing but a few words.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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IntakeCinemaJul 5, 2022

Fantastique! I enjoyed this quite a bit. I felt like there were some pacing issues and my interest began to wane a bit after the last night together, but all-in-all it was a lovely story and it's a testament to the filmmaking that I was ableFantastique! I enjoyed this quite a bit. I felt like there were some pacing issues and my interest began to wane a bit after the last night together, but all-in-all it was a lovely story and it's a testament to the filmmaking that I was able to understand exactly what was going on long before it is said aloud.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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VonSeuxMay 1, 2022

Very boring. Huge downstep from directors previous movie. The entire thing is silent and bland, without any music between scenes and the child actress deliver their lines so deprived of any expression, it becomes a snore fest. The story neverVery boring. Huge downstep from directors previous movie. The entire thing is silent and bland, without any music between scenes and the child actress deliver their lines so deprived of any expression, it becomes a snore fest. The story never comes to a emotional hook or revelation, it felt like a huge waste of time. Maybe this could work with better casting and production, as there is an interesting idea in meeting your petite maman, but as it is the movie is hard to recommend.… Expand

0 of 3 users found this helpful03

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Brent_MarchantMay 10, 2022

Talk about a cure for insomnia! Director Celine Sciamma's latest offering in the female bonding genre is so understated, underdeveloped, underexplained and underwhelming that it amounts to little more than a flat-out bore, even at a scantTalk about a cure for insomnia! Director Celine Sciamma's latest offering in the female bonding genre is so understated, underdeveloped, underexplained and underwhelming that it amounts to little more than a flat-out bore, even at a scant runtime of 1:13:00. In this story of grief and loss, viewers find a sensitive eight-year-old suddenly in the company of a mysterious peer who seems uncannily familiar -- and whose identity is easy to figure out without the needlessly long, stretched out, inconsequential relationship that develops between them. And, once the big reveal is made, the story doesn't get any more interesting from there, with the duo engaging in all manner of everyday pedestrian activities that are played for being more significant and profound than they truly are. How this navel-contemplating exercise in minimalist subtlety managed to amass such critical acclaim is genuinely beyond me. However, if you can somehow manage to stay awake for this sleeper (and not in the good sense of the word), congratulations -- you deserve a medal for successfully sticking out this pretentious, self-important snooze fest.… Expand

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

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foreignfilmfanApr 28, 2022

This film is an exquisite emotional experience - the profound contained within the pedestrian.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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AncientAmberJun 22, 2022

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. So I mostly loved the film.

I feel like getting some criticisms off my chest though. Firstly, for me, the "Nelly" child actor wasn't great. She wasn't actively annoying thank god, but despite the French language I noticed she was kinda flatly delivering lines that should have had more variation. She also didn't act with her eyes and walked like she knew she was being filmed. I'm very sensitive to bad child acting though, so I'm like primed to notice these things, unfortunately.

I also noticed that some of the writing was a bit weird. The film does that thing where kids say things kids would never say - e.g. "you didn't invent my sadness".

I only mention all this because in spite of these things I found the film very effective and moving. The Dad actor was actually great and exuded warmth. The scenes where the girls were clearly basically left to play and forget they were being filmed worked fantastically.

By the last third of the film when petite mamon learns what's going on I was fully emotionally engaged. The line "I'm already thinking about you" absolutely sent me.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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ghostkillaJan 17, 2022

Kids on cinema remain a riddle yet to be solved and if you ask me, only Jacques Doillon came close to actually portraying what the world feels like when you're small, in the underrated gem 'Ponette', circa 1996. Here Sciamma offers only halfKids on cinema remain a riddle yet to be solved and if you ask me, only Jacques Doillon came close to actually portraying what the world feels like when you're small, in the underrated gem 'Ponette', circa 1996. Here Sciamma offers only half a movie -and not just because of its running time- packed with gender symbolisms that probably lean towards her personal story rather than some universal meaning. All you are left with in the end is a scene of utter beauty in the lake, as the rest of the ideas explored, mostly fall short or remain somewhat unuttered.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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krlnbenApr 15, 2023

Yet another heartfelt movie from Céline Sciamma. I believe it's my favourite one of hers.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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