The Children of the Century
Empire Pictures Inc. | Release Date: September 13, 2002 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
59
METASCORE
Mixed or average reviews based on 15 Critic Reviews
Positive:
8
Mixed:
7
Negative:
0

Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
88
Chicago TribuneMichael Wilmington
A romance incandescent, a fiery pageant of l'amour fou. Whatever its historical transgressions, it opens up a vein and lets life and blood pour out. Read full review
80
Los Angeles TimesKevin Thomas
In scope, ambition and accomplishment, Children of the Century therefore takes Kurys' career to a whole new level. Read full review
75
San Francisco ChronicleMick LaSalle
The film's appeal has a lot to do with the casting of Juliette Binoche as Sand, who brings to the role her pale, dark beauty and characteristic warmth. Read full review
75
Miami HeraldMarta Barber
In between all the emotional seesawing, it's hard to figure the depth of these two literary figures, and even the times in which they lived. But they fascinate in their recklessness. Read full review
70
The New York TimesDana Stevens
Though well dressed and well made, ultimately falls prey to the contradiction that afflicts so many movies about writers. What makes them so fascinating, so representative, cannot really be shown on screen. Read full review
70
Dallas ObserverAndy Klein
For all of the heroine's shockingly "modern" lifestyle choices, the thrust of the film is remarkably old-fashioned. It embraces the notion that you can have only a single great love in a lifetime...and that's if you're lucky. Read full review
63
New York Daily NewsJack Mathews
Inexplicable human bondage is a literary staple of film as well as literature, but Kurys ("Entre Nous"), usually so sure-handed with her actors, has trouble making this bond compelling. Read full review
63
Boston GlobeWesley Morris
No one around this beauty-first rendition of these addled artisans and their brief, obsessive affair really understands the attraction, so most people just get out of the way. Read full review
60
Chicago ReaderJonathan Rosenbaum
As a literary bodice ripper this is better than average, partly because of its glimpses of early-19th-century bohemianism in France and Italy but mostly because Juliette Binoche and Benoit Magimel manage to keep the story hot and unpredictable. Read full review
60
Village VoiceLeslie Camhi
It does best when it leaves behind hothouse literary discussions and closes in on these two legendary behemoths, battling for sexual supremacy. Read full review
60
Film ThreatRich Cline
The art direction and costumes are gorgeous and finely detailed, and Kurys' direction is clever and insightful. Even so, it feels very, very long. Read full review
50
New York PostV.A. Musetto
Juliette Binoche and Benoit Magimel have great chemistry together as the lovers, and the scenes of their lovemaking and frequent battles bring the movie to life. Outside of those moments, however, the film is too stagey, talky - and long - for its own good. Read full review
40
TV Guide MagazineFrank Lovece
Never has the adage "You can't help who you fall in love with" been more lavishly illustrated than in this historical drama. Read full review
40
L.A. WeeklyElla Taylor
Juliette Binoche is the only reason to see Diane Kurys' florid, incoherent movie. Read full review
40
VarietyTodd McCarthy
A generally old-fashioned costumer that runs out of gas even faster than does the tempestuous love affair between writer George Sand and poet Alfred de Musset that it so devotedly recounts. Read full review
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