Rent The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (2007)
3.8 of 5 from 646 ratings
1h 47min
- General info
- Available formats
- Synopsis:
- On December 8, 1995, Jean-Dominique Bauby, editor in chief of fashion magazine French Elle suffered a massive stroke, leaving him prisoner inside his own body, only able to communicate with the blinking of his left eye. Inside the Diving Bell, as he referred to his body, his memory and imagination, the Butterfly, remained untouched by the tragedy. Using a special alphabet, Bauby went on to defy the odds and fulfil his dream of writing a book, showing the amazing resilience of the human spirit.
- Actors:
- Mathieu Amalric, Emmanuelle Seigner, Marie-Josée Croze, Anne Consigny, Patrick Chesnais, Niels Arestrup, Olatz López Garmendia, Jean-Pierre Cassel, Marina Hands, Max von Sydow, Gérard Watkins, Théo Sampaio, Fiorella Campanella, Talina Boyaci, Isaach De Bankolé, Emma de Caunes, Jean-Philippe Écoffey, Nicolas Le Riche, Anne Alvaro, Françoise Lebrun
- Directors:
- Julian Schnabel
- Writers:
- Ronald Harwood, Jean-Dominique Bauby
- Others:
- Janusz Kaminski, Juliette Welfling
- Aka:
- Le Scaphandre Et Le Papillon
- Studio:
- 20th Century Fox
- Genres:
- Drama
- Collections:
- 2009, 21 Reasons to Love... Ingmar Bergman: Part 2, Remembering: Max von Sydow, The Biggest Oscar Snubs: Part 2
- Countries:
- France
- Awards:
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Reviews (7) of The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Moving, challenging and original - The Diving Bell and the Butterfly review by Tim from London
Brilliant and highly original film about a man with 'locked in syndrome', which is a rare condition in which a person is aware and awake, but cannot move or communicate due to complete paralysis of nearly all voluntary muscles in the body. Don't expect a dull amd overly worthy Hollywood-like portrayal of disability ala Awakenings or A Beautiful Mind. This is told completely from the person's point of view. Mathieu Amalric brilliantly portrays a man who is flawed (he cheated on his wife and continues to reject her), loving, vain and sometimes suicidal and often humurous (especially making fun of his disability) - ie not just a 'disabled person' but a fully rounded human being. This is achieved through voiceovers, flashbacks and fantasy sequences. There is also a great supporting cast featuring many of the leading actors from French cinema. Although some scenes drag a little and the jerky camera movements are overused - this is a brilliant and very unique film.
7 out of 8 members found this review helpful.
Utterly captivating - The Diving Bell and the Butterfly review by JD
The idea of being "locked in" is superbly projected by skillful blends of film design. The feeling is made possible to imagine and find empathy. Eventually even to feel hope within despair. A difficult area for cinema well captivated.
3 out of 3 members found this review helpful.
True stories are the best stories! - The Diving Bell and the Butterfly review by DW
This is a fictionalised version of a true story so it's truly unique. In recognition of the unusual nature of the subject matter, the filming is also non-conventional so if you like something very different then settle back to be richly rewarded.
2 out of 2 members found this review helpful.