35 Rhums (35 Shots of Rum) poster & wallpaper
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Alex Descas, Mati Diop, Gregoire Colin, Nicole Dogue, Ingrid Caven ... see more see more... , Julieth Mars-Toussaint , Jean-Christophe Folly , Adèle Ado , Djédjé Apali , Eriq Ebouaney

Time and romantic attraction threaten to sour a family relationship in this drama from writer and director Claire Denis. Lionel (Alex Descas) is a middle-aged widower who makes his living driving a tr... read more read more...ain and shares an apartment with his twentysomething daughter, Joséphine (Mati Diop). Lionel and Joséphine have a warm and caring relationship, and while it's not Lionel's nature to say very much, his affection for his daughter is clear. Lionel's on-and-off girlfriend Gabrielle (Nicole Dogue) and their footloose friend Noé (Grégoire Colin) live in the same building, and together the four have fallen into a casual family relationship. However, when Lionel's close friend and fellow driver René (Julieth Mars Toussaint) announces he's retiring, Lionel becomes painfully aware that he's not as young as he once was, and realizes how much he depends on his daughter. This knowledge sets Lionel on edge when Joséphine's friendship with Noé begins to evolve into a romantic relationship. 35 Rhums (aka 35 Shot of Rum) received its North American premiere at the 2008 Toronto Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Flixster Users

63% liked it

1,159 ratings

Critics

96% liked it

56 critics

Unrated, 1 hr. 40 min.

Directed by: Claire Denis

Release Date: September 1, 2008

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DVD Release Date: April 20, 2010

Stats: 176 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (176)

  • SirPant
    January 14, 2011
    SirPant
    I can see the similarities to that of the work of Ozu and I understand that nearly every detail, no matter how simple, is actually meaningful and symbolic, it just didn't have enough intensity for me. The scene with the dead body was brilliant and I know it would have been a diff... read moreerent film had that been the only thing it was out to achieve, but I guess I would have just rather had watched that other film. I do like Claire Denis, I just think directors like Nuri Bilge Ceylan convey these kinds of concepts in a better, more entertaining manner. It's still no way a bad film, I did really like it and I'm a fan of hers, I guess that's maybe why I'm a little more critical. Had it had a more appealing cast, maybe I would have liked it more but again, it probably would have distracted from its main purpose.
  • gor41
    January 17, 2010
    gor41
    Daughter loves father dearly , repeat to close. Now I'm no slouch with plots but I struggled to work out who was who in the supporting cast and how they were interrelated. Such willful obfuscation may be intended but it ruined things for me.
  • gator681
    September 26, 2009
    gator681
    What "35 Shots of Rum" lacks in story, it more than makes up for with a melancholic atmosphere full of lonely people, especially Lionel(Alex Descas) and his daughter Josephine(Mati Diop), a university student. She is driving him nuts with her constantly taking care of him, even ... read moreas he is unwilling to talk about the past in the present day as he moves himself and transports others towards an uncertain future in his job as a subway driver and his friend Gabrielle(Nicole Dogue) does in her taxi. And then there is Lionel's co-worker Rene(Julieth Mars Toussaint) who gets three gifts at his retirement party, two are traditional and an iPod. Regardless, he is unsure of what to do next, no longer one of the anonymous people who keep multicultural Paris moving. In point of fact, the movie loses something when it moves temporarily away from Paris to tie up a couple of loose ends, going on a little too long.
  • lesleyanorton
    February 26, 2010
    lesleyanorton
    It's quite pleasant once in a while to see a French modern day drama where the main characters don't jabber on endlessly about their thoughts and feelings. It's also quite refreshing to see a nearly all-black cast without making a big deal of it one way or another. Here the dynam... read moreics of a super-close father and daughter plus their would-be partners is all shown thrown through the mundane habils of everyday life, and intimacies and glances rather than histrionics. Not a whole heap happens, which might be disappointing to some, but if you're more interested in character than action, then there's much to enjoy in this story of an extended family's unwanted but inevitable change.
  • smootysveen
    April 26, 2010
    smootysveen
    Some really attractive people go nowhere and do nothing.
  • jdjd1969
    February 4, 2010
    jdjd1969
    Wonderful contemporary father/daughter story. Great slice of life, lively, credible and unpredictable.
  • columbiatch
    September 16, 2009
    columbiatch
    Excellent remake of Ozu's Late Spring, with a final shot to rival it. The only thing that bothered me was that the daughter seemed too young to be getting married, I mean she's still in college.

View All 35 Rhums (35 Shots of Rum) Reviews

Critic Reviews

Cliff Doerksen
January 26, 2010
Cliff Doerksen, Chicago Reader

It's a beautiful picture but very quietly so, and definitely not for the ADHD set. Full Review

Michael Phillips
January 22, 2010
Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune

Modest in scope but very sure, Rum goes down smoothly indeed. Full Review

Chris Vognar
January 22, 2010
Chris Vognar, Dallas Morning News

Celebrated French filmmaker Claire Denis is a master of atmosphere and immersion. Full Review

Roger Ebert
January 21, 2010
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

I've seen films where superheroes shift alliances, and I only yawned. What matters is not the scope of a story, it's the depth. Full Review

December 4, 2009
Washington Post

Don't miss this one. Full Review

Steven Rea
December 3, 2009
Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer

35 Shots of Rum is visual poetry, but poetry that examines the human condition with insight and illumination. Full Review

Wesley Morris
October 29, 2009
Wesley Morris, Boston Globe

I liked these characters, and suddenly not having them in my life anymore, simply because Denis has decided to start the closing credits, devastated me. Full Review

Kevin Thomas
October 8, 2009
Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times

One of the best films of the year. Full Review

V.A. Musetto
September 18, 2009
V.A. Musetto, New York Post

Denis -- who has called the film a tribute to the great Japanese director Yasujiro Ozu -- keeps dialogue to a minimum as she delicately examines how immigration is changing the face of France. Full Review

A.O. Scott
September 16, 2009
A.O. Scott, New York Times

35 Shots of Rum is a quiet and lovely new film by the French director Claire Denis. Full Review

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