The Witnesses

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The Witnesses

2007,

1h 54m,

Drama

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Watchlist

86%

51 Reviews

Tomatometer

65%

1,000+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

86%

Tomatometer

51 Reviews

65%

Popcornmeter

1,000+ Ratings

Adrien (Michel Blanc) is a middle-aged doctor who's still single and enjoys cruising younger men. One night he's sexually rebuffed by a boy named Manu (Johan Libéreau) but pursues a friendship with him anyway. He takes Manu along on a seaside vacation with his best friend, Sarah (Emmanuelle Béart), and her policeman husband, Mehdi (Sami Bouajila). Shortly thereafter, Manu and Mehdi begin an affair, causing significant tension within the two couples that worsens when Manu is diagnosed with AIDS.

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Critics Consensus

French director André Téchiné successfully weaves five gripping stories in an engaging and realistic film about the early days of the AIDS epidemic.

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David Edelstein

New York Magazine/Vulture

Oct 18, 2008

Excitingly convoluted.

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Michael Phillips

Chicago Tribune

Oct 18, 2008

3.5/4

Techine's graceful, forceful drama has the tact not to play narrative games with its subject.

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V.A. Musetto

New York Post

Jul 16, 2008

3/4

André Téchiné's film features a strong ensemble cast. The film pulls no punches in its depiction of lives in crisis.

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Kathy Fennessy

Seattle Film Blog

Jul 21, 2024

3.5/4

Mostly, the film is an elegy for lives lost in vain. And forgotten. As much as I can't stand the phrase "life-affirming," The Witnesses is anything but depressing.

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Yasser Medina

Cinefilia

Aug 7, 2020

6/10

'The Witnesses' is a film executed with some skill by André Téchiné, but I don't see that it has enough narrative force to provoke any kind of emotion in me. [Full review in Spanish]

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David Lamble

Bay Area Reporter

May 22, 2020

All this prepares you for a sucker punch of things that do matter...

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André Téchiné

Director

Michel Blanc

Adrien

Emmanuelle Béart

Sarah

Sami Bouajila

Mehdi

Julie Depardieu

Julie

Johan Libéreau

Manu

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Synopsis

Adrien (Michel Blanc) is a middle-aged doctor who's still single and enjoys cruising younger men. One night he's sexually rebuffed by a boy named Manu (Johan Libéreau) but pursues a friendship with him anyway. He takes Manu along on a seaside vacation with his best friend, Sarah (Emmanuelle Béart), and her policeman husband, Mehdi (Sami Bouajila). Shortly thereafter, Manu and Mehdi begin an affair, causing significant tension within the two couples that worsens when Manu is diagnosed with AIDS.

Director: André Téchiné
Producer: Saïd Ben Saïd
Screenwriter: André Téchiné, Laurent Guyot, Viviane Zingg
Genre: Drama
Original Language: Canadian French
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 25, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA): $77.3K
Runtime: 1h 54m
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital, DTS

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