The French Minister
Sundance Selects | Release Date: March 21, 2014 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
65
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 11 Critic Reviews
Positive:
8
Mixed:
3
Negative:
0
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
80
The Hollywood ReporterTodd McCarthyMar 16, 2014
Quai d’Orsay zips along at a good clip and benefits from the gruffly benevolent gravity of Arestrup, which offsets the machine-gun pace set by Lhermitte. Read full review
80
VarietyScott FoundasMar 16, 2014
A sparkling and savvy comedy of political manners. Read full review
75
Slant MagazineKenji FujishimaMar 16, 2014
With its broad performances, rapid-fire pacing, and rampant visual and verbal gags, Bernard Tavernier's first out-and-out comedy doesn't try too hard to hide its graphic-novel origins. Read full review
70
The New YorkerAnthony LaneMar 27, 2014
This is not life imitating art. This is art going to bed with life and staying there for the rest of the afternoon. [31 March 2014, p.81]
70
The New York TimesManohla DargisMar 20, 2014
Mr. Tavernier’s filmmaking here is loose, almost casual, and you may not always notice what he’s doing with the camera as he frames the ministry’s choreographed chaos with its whirling people and parts. Read full review
70
Village VoiceChris PackhamMar 19, 2014
Mannered and often very funny. Read full review
65
NPRMark JenkinsMar 21, 2014
The French Minister boasts robust pacing, screwball-comedy banter and an exuberant central performance. For most American viewers, though, the movie could use footnotes to go with its subtitles. Read full review
63
New York PostFarran Smith NehmeMar 19, 2014
The conclusion feels too good-natured after nearly two hours of a minister who would need typed instructions to butter a baguette. Read full review
60
New York Daily NewsElizabeth WeitzmanMar 20, 2014
Director Bertrand Tavernier’s amusing new political satire isn’t toothless, but it could use more bite. Read full review
50
RogerEbert.comSusan WloszczynaMar 21, 2014
It is never a good situation when a subtitled foreign release is highly dependent on words to get its point across—especially when those words are supposed to make you laugh. Read full review
50
The DissolveMike D'AngeloMar 18, 2014
[Lhermitte's] energetic performance is by far the best reason to see the film, which should probably have been directed by somebody else; Tavernier has little flair for comedy. Read full review
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