The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

Director: Julian Schnabel
Starring: Mathieu Amalric, Emmanuelle Seigner, Max von Sydow, Marie-Josee Croze
Details: France / USA (12A)

How good is The Diving Bell And The Butterfly? It's ridiculously good. In 1995, at the age of only 43, Jean-Dominique Bauby suffered a stroke while driving his car in the countryside. He lapsed into a coma and woke up 3 weeks later only able to move his left eye. Diagnosed with a rare disease called 'locked in' syndrome, Bauby used his good eye to 'blink' out dictation for his novel: the diving bell of the title symbolising Bauby's inability to move, the butterfly his escape; the former documents his day-to-day struggle while the latter sees Bauby indulge in flights of fancy. To make a film about a man trapped in his body and not only make it work, but turn it into one of the most memorable films this reviewer has ever seen, is nothing short of genius - director Julian Schanbel (Basquiat) and writer Ronald Harwood (The Pianist) will be hard-pressed to better this. Opening with an extended blurry point-of-view sequence (about twenty minutes or so) was a brave move; unable to speak, we hear Bauby's (Almaric) confused thoughts as he first tries to get a grip on what's happening, and then his realisation of the private hell he'll be subjected to: "This is life?". To make matters worse (and where this innovative drama manages to find humour even in the darkest of places) his speech and physical therapists are attractive women. Not only does this long sequence allow us inside the man, but we become him - we are trapped in that hospital bed, too (when his therapist asks him to move his tongue, it's hard not to do what she says). Brilliant.

Review by Gavin Burke :

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Your Reviews

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Its actually quite funny... - Ailbhe

Somebody in my office said they didn't want to go to see this movie about a bloke who can only blink and nothing happens. I was apprehensive that it would be depressing. I cannot imagine a worse... MORE
Review Published 11 June 2008

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Excellent - AndrewJ

Just go and see it.
Review Published 04 May 2008

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Strong, sensual and delicate. - Huruma

Jean Domique Bauby, a man with locked-in-syndrome as a result of a stroke has no control over his body except for his left eye. He goes beyond self-pity and accepts the challenge to live and with... MORE
Review Published 09 April 2008

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confused - zurich

hey pauline davis just fill in the boxes above the review where you want to see a movie, which cinema and which movie and click go and you will be sorted. peace,
Review Published 06 April 2008

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Flawless - Janet

Anything performed in French has an advantage in the first place. If Fair City was filmed in French, it would have a much better chance of being entertaining. This film is perfect from start to... MORE
Review Published 02 April 2008

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Cinemas - Pauline Davies

It needs to be clearly displayed where this film or any other being reviewed can be seen. No point in telling us how good or bad it is without being able to see it!!!!!!!!
Review Published 26 March 2008

Star Rating:

A very funny movie - Siobhan L

I'd heard this was from the persepective of a man who could only communicate through the blinking of an eye (lockedin syndrome) and so I wasn't rushing to see a movie I suspected to be a downer. We... MORE
Review Published 23 March 2008

Star Rating:

Not for everyone but.... - rianaoibhinn

This is not the kind of movie I would normally choose to watch. However, by the time I realised this, we were 20 minutes in, and perversely we were hooked. It is tough going, and certainly not for... MORE
Review Published 20 March 2008

Star Rating:

Be Kind Rewind - David Holbrook

Walked out ! American rubbish at it's most puerile.
Review Published 09 March 2008

Star Rating:

Outstanding Cinema - pandabat

Jean-Dominique Bauby (Mathieu Amalric) is editor of Elle magazine in Paris, has a lovely family in the country and, typically, a little mistress in the city. He has everything going for him until,... MORE
Review Published 27 February 2008

Star Rating:

Beauty in Human Suffering - terry connolly

This is a very tough one to watch, bring the Kleenex as you will be teary eyed throughout until one scene with Max von Sydow on the phone to his paralysed son will have you blubbering and sniffeling... MORE
Review Published 26 February 2008

Star Rating:

This movie will change your life - burlingr

To put it simply, after watching this movie, you will feel raw, primal, and, emotionally, an open wound-- all while having a smile on your face and a tear in your eye. The visuals are breathtaking to... MORE
Review Published 16 February 2008

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A Release from Trapped Industry? - vinnieq

I went to the IFI to see this, expecting a film that would delve into the trauma of a person who was paralysed and try to capture the trapped feeling through testing filmmaking but I was caught by... MORE
Review Published 15 February 2008

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