Hojalataes IMDb 7/10 ROTTENTOMATOES 7/10 ALLMOVIE 4/5 A famous painter whose marriage is in trouble goes back to the house where he grew up. He hires a gardener, who turns out to be an old childhood friend.Great performances, nice script, realistic situations, very well developed relationships.A movie that entertains and makes you think and value simple things in life.This film was adapted from the memoirs of painter Henri Cueco.Recommandable film. A pleasure to watch.

Raj Doctor I read about this movie, and so deeply interested about the story line that I had to go and watch this flick. I do not understand French, nor the Dutch sub-titles. What I did was tried to search for sub-titles in English on the internet. Could not find one, so downloaded the sub-titles in Spanish, translated them to English and read the whole script of sub-titles before going for the movie. Surely it did not make much sense, but I depended on my memory to recollect the discussions between the painter and the gardener. Coming back home, I again re-read the sub-title script and recollected the images. That is how I saw and understood the movie. Though silly, that was the only and my way of doing enjoying this masterpiece.The story is simple – a famous painter Dupinceau (Daniel Auteuil) is fed up with life in Paris and has decided to move back to his village home to paint. He hires a gardener Dujardin (Jean-Pierre Darroussin) who turns out to me school class mate. A whole lifetime has passed from where they started at school – remembering a prank the students played on their teacher's birthday cake. They share their journey of life with each other – through casual talks. The painter and gardener both experts in their fields are unique, in their perception of seeing things and understanding. Both of them become close friends – and with ailing health of gardener, the painter takes him to Paris for treatment. A few years later when the gardener dies, the painter fulfills his wishes by drawing the common things of his gardener's life – to capture those memories of happiness and joys.The simplicity of plot and the depth of discussion is so appealing that one fills fulfilled by just listening the gardener and painter talk – you wish their talk would never end. This inspiring interest is created by Daniel and Jen-Pierre in living their roles perfectly on screen.Seventy year old Director Jean Becker, who has also partly written the story takes us through this varied journey of life's mysteries without letting us know that.The innocent wittiness of gardener's amazement and questions posed to the painter are the highlight of the movie – that bring enlightenment of seeing things differently for painter and also for us.The background musical score is spare, but wherever it is used, it is effective. There are a few sub-plots, but the movie does not digress from the main theme, and kudos to that track.The most moving scene for me was when the two friends go for fishing, catch a big fish and then leave it back in the water alive and free again. Wonderful! There are so many dialogues in questions, answers and casual exchanges – that resonate with our souls. The last words of the gardener would ring in our hearts for years – I would like that you painted something that I liked. And in the end - the painter does… A classic, not to be missed – only recommended for those who are willing to know their souls (Stars 7.25 out fo 10)

bacox * possible spoilers*It's too easy to dismiss this film as a gentle piece of feelgood cinema. The characterisations are more subtle than that, especially the gardener, who's much more than just an idealised peasant. He's a man who's aware of the limitations of his life and doesn't see anything wrong with them, and every seemingly cracker-barrel remark challenges the assumptions of the middle-class painter, often deliberately. Arguably the painter is a more cliché figure, I certainly felt I'd met him before in French movies, but that is kind of the point - he's been living a received version of the artistic life. I really enjoyed this film - be prepared for some moving moments towards the end, I wouldn't bill it as a comedy really. My one reservation is about the very last moments, which, though touching, seemed to re-assert the superiority of the artist in a way I wasn't quite comfortable with, as if the gardener's only purpose had been to revitalise the artist's career. Auteuil is good as you'd expect, but Jean-Pierre Darroussin is amazing, it's worth seeing the film for his performance alone. One of those actors who just doesn't seem to be acting.

mmunier Our usual group of 4 Dutch, Filipino, Chinese Malaysian, and French did enjoy so much this movie screened in Sydney these past few weeks. As said before simple but without simplicity. This was also my sentiment, I imagine my french background took my enjoyment even a little further. I can't say I never had much passion for gardening although I do appreciate nature in general. But I like animals and people behaviour; it is so often fascinating. This is what this story did for me, it brought fascinating union and mutual respect between two very different people, this in a rather natural way. I let myself go with the gentle flow of the tale and rode the few bumps here and there as life scatters them. I won't talk about the story line since I'm sure it's been read many time before these lines. There weren't a crowd either in the cinema, only one more couple and one lone other person. Yet the story took you from the start and you did not need a crowd around to help you along. It was almost like a personal experience that somehow made you feel as if you were part of this dialogue. I do much appreciate Daniel Auteuil whom I discovered for the first time with G de Pardieu in "Jean des Florettes" and "Manon des Sources" Much as happened since and for both of them but one seems to have been imunised from Hollywood and is better for it in my opinion.