Main Cast: Daniel Auteuil, Pascal Duquenne, Miou-Miou, Isabelle Sadoyan, Henri Garcin
Release Year: 1996
Country: UK/BE/FR
Run Time: 114 minutes
MPAA Rating: NR
Plot
Two men with seemingly nothing in common become unlikely friends in this drama from France. Harry (Daniel Auteuil) is a salesman working for a large but faceless corporation, where he's become a success at the expense of his personal life. His wife Julie (Miou-Miou), frustrated by his lack of concern for his family, has divorced him, and while he still has visitation rights to his children, he manages to forget when it's his weekend with his daughters, and he neglects to pick them up at the train station. Harry is depressed and nearly suicidal; while driving late one rainy night, he accidentally hits a dog who is walking with Georges (Pascal Duquenne), a personable young man with Down's Syndrome. Georges lives in a mental institution, where he's happy and well cared for, but when several of the other patients leave for a weekend visit, Georges decides that he should leave too, and he sets out to visit his mother. Harry can't bring himself to leave Georges behind, so after burying the dog, he offers to drive him to his mother's home, which becomes the start of a complicated odyssey for the two of them, especially after Harry finds out that Georges' mother is no longer alive. Actor Pascal Duquenne actually does have Down's Syndrome; he and co-star Daniel Auteuil shared the Best Actor award at the 1996 Cannes Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Michele Maes - Nathalie; Jo de Backer - Husband; Didier de Neck - Fabienne's Husband; Josse de Pauw - Policeman; Didier Ferney - Showroom Salesman; Dominic Gould - Harry's Colleague; Gerard Hernandez; Raymond Lescot - "Big Vegetable"; Sabrina Leurquin - Waitress; Fabienne Loriaux - Fabienne; Remy Julienne - Lorry Driver; Helene Roussel - Julie's mother; Marc Schreiber - Showroom Salesman; Alexandre Von Sivers - Doctor; Roland Depauw - TV Chef; Jean-Henri Compère - Teacher; Olivier Gourmet - Father; Dieudonne Kabongo - Dustman; Andrea Simon - Tramp; Georges Siatidis - Showroom Security Guard; Jean Bollery - Nathalie's Father; Alain Bougnet - Band Member; Magali Côte - Band Member; Sophie De Kerkhove - Dancing Girl; Guy De Longree - Band Member; Isabelle De Nayer - Band Member; Erik De Staercke - Waitress; Yves Degen - Showroom Manager; Jean Désert - Band Member; Bernard Eylenbosch - Dancing Man; Monique Fluzin - Nathalie's Mother; Jacqueline Ghaye; Marie Godeau - Georges' Niece; Pierre Godeau - Georges' Nephew; Michèle Gousset - Band Member; Patrick Harcq - Dustman; Lazlo Harmati - Luis Mariano; Christian Hecq - Shoe Shop Manager; Philippe Hinck - Band Member; Patricia Houyoux; Lotfi Yahia Jedidi - Dustman; Stéphane Keyser - "Dentofresh" Guy; Kim Chi N'Guyen - Mongol Baby; Dominique Lecat - Band Member; Fernand Leclercq - Band Member; Nicolas Meeus - Band Member; Marie-Pierre Meinzel - Saleswoman; Yves Pelgrims - Band Member; Jean-Luc Piraux - Pedestrian; Nathalie Ponlot - Spanish Woman; Vincent Rapaillerie - Band Member; Séréna Ruspoli - Wife; Ebrahim Salem - Hindu; Jacques Staes - Band Member; Alex Stainier - Band Member; Tam Vo - Japanese Pianist; Alice Van Dormael - Alice; Juliette Van Dormael - Juliette; Yasmine Van Hevel - Showgirl; Christian Van Vlierberghe - Band Member; Laurette Vankeerberghen - Cleaner; Claude Vienne - Band Member; Pauline Zerla - Little Girl
Credit
Hubert Pouille - Art Director, Yan Tax - Costume Designer, Yan Tax - Costume Designer, Renaul Alcalde - First Assistant Director, Jaco van Dormael - Director, Susanna Rossberg - Editor, Dominique Josset - Executive Producer, Eric Rommeluere - Executive Producer, Pierre van Dormael - Songwriter, Walther van den Ende - Cinematographer, Philippe Godeau - Producer, Francois Groult - Sound/Sound Designer, Bruno Tarriere - Sound/Sound Designer, Dominique Warnier - Sound/Sound Designer, David Linx - Musical Performer, Decap Orgel - Musical Performer, Eisen Blätter - Musical Performer, Stéphane Galland - Musical Performer, Fallou Gal Niang - Musical Performer, Otti Vanderwerf - Musical Performer
