La Promesse

Much like any other Dardennes film, using a realist style to explore ethical dilemmas, and in a way that slowly draws you into the drama, doling out information at a steady pace. The three central characters are all very well-performed, with a fine job by young Renier. Gourmet's intimidating presence looms large. As the film approaches the end, the dread of his retribution increases. The ending scene avoids a tidy conclusion but leaves the viewer feeling satisfied that growth has occurred.

Excellent film. Shot in a realist, almost documentary style, and the characterization and storytelling is similarly very realistic; I was able to sympathize with everyone, even the rather despicable father, and I thought the treatment of the son, who, because of his father, is torn in many different directions, is very well done. I like how the the film doesn't go out of it's way to narrate events, but does a wonderful job of "showing not telling."

Dardennes' signature comes to being for the first time as they blend neo-realism with Bressonian search for transcendental through dullness and harshness. Although Igor's moral transformation seems a bit too hasty and underdeveloped, this has aged very well as a strong and patient elaboration of empathy and ethical encounter. One big success of Dardennes is that they can evoke the sublime and the ethical w/o ever "moralizing" and melodramatizing the events. Very strong and stylish filmmaking.

In typical Dardenne fashion this is a realistic and depressing look at the poorer part of society. But it's also immensely moving, creating extraordinary sympathy for it's characters without ever resorting to regular cinematic manipulation.

Another excellent feature from the Dardenne brothers. They certainly hone their skills in subsequent films, but it's all done very well here: the realist, mostly subjective camera, the lack of music, the simple but profound narrative structure. As in their later films, here we have a character coming out of his self-centered view of the world to make contact with another human being, a beautiful and transformative process.

A modern masterpiece.

A highly impressive early Dardenne movie in every respect, tackling a morally difficult plot with charged political undertones. The first hour is pretty much flawless. I think the writing begins to falter in the last half hour, in the divination scenes and the eventual father-son confrontation to name two examples, but never enough to ruin what is already an excellent movie.

An almost too real film, a coming-of-age tale. The boy's discovery of a sense of morality without any adult guidance is unforeseeably stirring; and the actors (principally Renier and Gourmet, who have a precious moment of familial harmony in a leisure-hours duet at a nightclub microphone) are so natural, in addition to so unfamiliar, that it's sometimes hard to remember they are acting.

Fans of the gritty urban Belgian underbelly slice-of-life kitchen sink drama genre, look no further. Well actually, look a little further - into the Dardennes' other films - because this is not among the very best of them. Sure, it ticks along, is easy to follow, has a moral compass, and Jérémie Rénier is a superbly natural teenage actor. Despite this, these aren't characters you root for - merely observe. As observation it's a fine piece of work - but the brothers can do so much more.

what a hauntingly beautiful final scene

A contemporary and uncompromisingly raw morality tale, with noticeable but not overbearing political undertones. The performances (by apparently non-professional actors) and handheld camera work are particularly effective.

cillop gibi bir dardenne kardeşler ve jeremie renier işi

en sevdiğim yönetmen jean-pierre dardanne en sevmediğim yönetmen luc dardenne :)

A Promessa estreava há 25 anos no Festival de Cannes. Os Dardenne lidam com questões presentes na Bélgica contemporânea, sobretudo envolvendo a classe trabalhadora, mas esse aqui vai além, remonta a todo passado colonialista belga na África, quando é pedido que que se enterre os mortos, é também pelo holocausto negro provocado por Leopoldo II e Renier representa o belga atual tentando expurgar seus pecados colonizadores. BlurayRip no MakingOff.

La Promesse, sinemada ve filmlerde sürekli görmek isteyeceğim türden bir anlatım şekli ve hikayeye sahip. Dardenne Kardeşler filmlerinde haklının yanında durup saf alıyor ve izleyicisinin çehresini değiştirip hüzünlü bir şiir yazıyor sanki.. Çok başarılı.

Igor rides a rollercoaster of love, hate, fear and pride towards his father, who is busy running his kingdom. The karaoke-scene is a hoot! Who wouldn't want a father like that? Who kicks you in the head the next minute?! Then we have Assitta, who is, besides a caring mother and the victim of a hideous crime, an annoyingly stubborn bull of a woman that you want to shake by the shoulders to make her act normal for just a second. All in all a genious combination of farce and tragedy.

Very good film. However, I liked it more when it explored the relationship between father & son. The involvement of Assita struck me as decidedly less interesting. My first Dardennes film and I really liked their naturalistic style. Definitely feels utterly real at some points.

Why does Igor want to help Assita? This seems to be the focal dramatic question. There are other observations made - social, cultural, political - but human intention is under the microscope. Is he seeking to rid himself of guilt? Or some naive version of a marital bond? Or maternal? Or is he merely attempting to become his own individual, and views this crisis as an opportunity to branch away from his father’s firm grip? There are no answers, and yet we feel like we know Igor so well.

It's funny how the Dardennes are seen as brutal, stark realists making typical boring European arthouse films, while I'm finding one of their strongest qualities is their well-constructed, compelling, novelistic plots. Goes to show that just because you use hand-held cameras and non-professional actors doesn't mean you have to take realism as a suicide pact. (Though their treatment of African immigrants is a little patronising, which is probably a symptom of being white and liberal.)

i remember '96, but even back then, i wouldn't have been able to take anyone seriously if they were wearing a teal windbreaker, thick coke bottle glasses, and a pedophile's mustache. fashion aside, the dardenne brothers made us a pretty fine movie.

88.500

As a debut, it's not a bad way to make a first impression. Renier carries the film with remarkable maturity and aplomb, despite being his first starring role. The story may be relatively slight, yet it embodies the complex moral and social themes that would come to characterize their later work.

Well, it's good and realistic, sure. But i think i'm getting tired of Dardenne's style.

In their very first fiction feature, a sorrowing but warming take on immigration, the Dardennes deal with actions, moods and moralistic issues that would forge all their following films.

A sad and unvarnished film, but not without glimmers of hope and compassion.