Girl on the Bridge (La Fille sur le Pont) poster & wallpaper
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Daniel Auteuil, Vanessa Paradis, Demetre Georgalas, Isabelle Petit-Jacques, Frederic Pfluger ... see more see more... , Catherine Lascault , Mireille Mosse

A woman's long history of bad luck starts to change when she puts her life on the line in this romantic drama. Adèle (Vanessa Paradis) is a 22-year-old woman whose life seems to have been a long serie... read more read more...s of miscalculations; she's never had much luck with love, life, or career, and is standing on a bridge overlooking the Seine one night, contemplating suicide, when she's approached by a man named Gabor (Daniel Auteuil). Gabor announces he's a knife-thrower who needs a new human target for his act. Would Adèle be interested? Adèle's immediate answer is to jump into the water, but after Gabor fishes her out and gets her to a hospital, she has a change of heart and the pair are soon on their way to Monaco, where Gabor gets a spot at a circus. Adèle and Gabor make a great team; he's good with knives, she's young and beautiful, and suddenly Adèle's luck starts to change. She visits a casino one night and comes home with a fortune, and even when Gabor throws blindfolded, she walks away without so much as a scratch. However, an obvious chemistry is brewing between the two, which leads to a dilemma: Gabor has a strict policy of never getting romantically involved with his partners. Will he make an exception, or is Adèle's new run of luck coming to an end? ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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88% liked it

6,781 ratings

Critics

90% liked it

40 critics

R, 1 hr. 30 min.

Directed by: Patrice Leconte

Release Date: September 4, 1999

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DVD Release Date: July 29, 2008

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Stats: 483 reviews

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Girl On The Bridge Adele Girl on the Bridge (La Fille sur le Pont) vanessa paradis Adele - La Fille Sur La Pont Girl on the Bridge (La Fille sur le Pont) vanessa and patrice daniel auteuil
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Flixster Reviews (483)

  • itsjustme2004
    January 4, 2011
    itsjustme2004
    This is a love story for adults. The lovers' acting: impeccable. The music fits like a glove. The plot: they'll die without each other. This movie is filled with delightfully original ideas set in the surreal atmosphere of a circus, and who better than the French to pull that off... read more? Tremendous tension, great dialogue, unique setting, and photography.
  • kiriyamakazou
    April 24, 2009
    kiriyamakazou
    A charming and romantic film. It's shot with such wonderful precision, no shot is wasted. The black and white photography gives it a softer feel. The real brilliance comes in the romantic elements being downplayed. It's the kind of love that is mostly friendship, but could tip ov... read moreer at anytime. Any film involving a knife thrower, is bound to be good. Auteuil gives one of his best performances in an easily accessible film that transcends the usual clichéd route.
  • mrgd291190
    December 26, 2008
    mrgd291190
    A beautiful film. The conversation between Adele and Gabor when separated is wonderfully done, Auteuil was hillariously witty, the black and white effect was stunningly used and the ending was superbyl underdone.
  • DrBenway
    August 18, 2008
    DrBenway
    This is a great movie. A very touching story of Adele, a sad young woman with a uncontrollable tendency to run away with men who inevitably hurt her, and Gabor, a knife thrower with a sorrowful past. Filmed in black and white, The Girl on the Bridge is beautiful, but its narrat... read moreive is just as engaging as its' images.

    The adventures of Adele and Gabor are consistently quirky and entertaining. As they move from one locale to the next, they encounter a variety of distinctive individuals, including a contortionist, a decadent newlywed, and a woman who had previously been Gabor's assistant and lover. For anyone who realizes how happy sadness can be, the movie is a sure shot.
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  • matricialynnicus
    October 8, 2009
    matricialynnicus
    As someone who doesn't believe in luck in a magical sense, I wish the film had not relied so heavily on that theme. However, it was a very nicely done film otherwise. The acting was superb.
  • envyishername
    September 18, 2009
    envyishername
    Where do I begin with this movie... Although there were some of the same ole predictable boring things that have appeared in countless other stories, this movie is a thousand times different than any of those same ole predictable stories. This movie charmed me and left me spell b... read moreound.

    The girl on the bridge, is delightful beautiful-looking black and white french flick about love,luck,and chance. Our main character in this flick just so happens to be a nymphomaniac(No,this isn't going where you think it's going ,the funky porn music isn't going to kick in anytime soon so forget it!).For the first couple of minutes,we hear our young nymphette, Adele discussing her hard luck in love to some unseen panel. It seems as though Adele has a hard time distingushing sex from love, she doesn't realize that the two are not always connected. Time and time again, Adele gives her heart, but those she willing hands it to, cast it aside. Depressed and tierd of life, the next scene we see our main character, she's standing on a bridge getting ready to take the pluge into the icy river that flows benethe her,until a intense-looking and mysterious,older stranger steps out of the shadows and pitches Adele an offer

    The stranger's name is Gabor and the offer is becoming his assistant. Odd, but its a good place to scout for assistants when you learn Gabors profession(He's a knife thrower).She rejects Gabors offer and takes the plunge. Gabor dives into the water and thus begins the start of a interesting partnership.

    The telepathic bond these two develop over a period of time allows for some new and amazing heights in Gabors career as well as some luck when hitting the casinos. Before long it becomes apparent that the two are made for each other and are incomplete with out the other. Just as the dollar bill that Gabor tears in half to illustrate to Adele, when brought together both sides have meaning, when ripped in half, both sides are completely useless.

    Although the attraction the two feel for one another is great, there is never a time when see Adele and Gabor maul each other like two drunken teenagers. We never actually see any sex kissing or touching for that matter (except for Adeles continious and meaningless flings with random strangers) it seems the knife throwing has become the subsitute for sex. The lack of it makes for one of the films most intimate and heart stopping scenes.

    Don't brush this movie aside because you have this strange feeling you've seen this in countless other movies because YOU HAVEN'T. If you have the oppertunity, rent it or buy it, you will not be disappointed!
  • theSwitchbladeSister
    September 27, 2008
    theSwitchbladeSister
    Why is it that I love tragic characters so much? Fantastic film, beautifully composed and incredibly engaging.
  • erinmmurphy
    August 10, 2008
    erinmmurphy
    This movie haunts me like few others have. It really got under my skin.

    I would have to credit the beautiful B/W cinematography, the excellent acting by Auteuil (one of my favorites) who imbues just the right amount of world-weary melancholy into his character, and the direct... read moreion that really creates some tense moments.

    The two characters are mesmerizing. They move through life almost purposelessly, creating a claustrophobic relationship that pulses with latent desire when they stumble into each other. It's fascinating to watch them struggle with attraction, as if they have been disappointed so many times before that they don't even want to take a chance at happiness. Or, if they do seek happiness, are jaded enough not to want to seek it through romance. The film delves into what it means to be alive at the most basic level, through the risks that they take and the rewards they cannot help but still desire.

    It's a beautiful film that I wish would be released in DVD format!
  • whoisthiset
    January 15, 2008
    whoisthiset
    My favorite romantic comedy of all time has the greatest non-sexual love-making scene in all of cinema.
  • KyleTheFutureFilmmaker
    July 26, 2007
    KyleTheFutureFilmmaker
    I thought this was a great film. I liked the way the two characters got to know each other. The dialogue was funny and well done for its type of movie. I wish more movies like these would be shown in any local theater besides just indie theaters. I think it would give over people... read more a chance to see others movies from others parts of the world.

    I like the fact that this film was shot in black and white, I think that when foriegn films are shot that why it makes them different and stand out from all the others. I often get boerd of the same old american dramas that seem to all thell tha same old story of a couple that meets and falls in love.

    I want to see the other side of the world. How they make their movies, and what their stories are about. This one was different. Two people meet that are both suicidal and both have very bad luck. But once they finally meet and get to know each other their luck turns around for the best and they have good luck whenever they are with each other.

    The knife thrower needs a new target and Adele becomes his new target. Adele is never hit by the knifes besides some scraches because of their luck. When they are seperated there is no longer luck between them, the knife throwers show no longer exsists and he starts to actally hit his targets.

    But when apart they can speak to each other as if they were speaking by phone, but they talk out loud as if by person. I found that interesting because i've never really seen it done that way before in a film. But after all i found it to be rather short, it all seemed so fastly paste, but i enjoyed watching it none the less

View All Girl on the Bridge (La Fille sur le Pont) Reviews

Critic Reviews

Roger Ebert
January 1, 2000
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

What's best about the movie is its playfulness. Full Review

Walter Chaw
December 11, 2008
Walter Chaw, Film Freak Central

A lovely, hopelessly romantic little bauble that catches the light no matter how you turn it. Full Review

Jay Antani
August 24, 2006
Jay Antani, Cinema Writer

an oddly amusing and touching work Full Review

Jeffrey M. Anderson
November 5, 2003
Jeffrey M. Anderson, Combustible Celluloid

It's a mish-mash of bits of old movies, but they've been wrapped up nicely. Full Review

Michael W. Phillips, Jr.
February 28, 2002
Michael W. Phillips, Jr., Goatdog's Movies

The entire film hinges on the performances. Full Review

Brian Webster
April 24, 2001
Brian Webster, Apollo Guide

A smart, funny and touching film that's packed with symbolism while not seeming the slightest bit heavy or overly intellectual. Full Review

Dennis Schwartz
February 14, 2001
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews

It is artfully directed by Leconte with his choppy camera work matching the Mediterranean's bubbly sea movements... Full Review

Michael Dequina
January 1, 2000
Michael Dequina, TheMovieReport.com

A magical film in all senses. Full Review

Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
January 1, 2000
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality and Practice

As an exploration of love, luck, and telepathy, The Girl on the Bridge is a beguiling film from start to finish. Full Review

Arthur Lazere
January 1, 2000
Arthur Lazere, culturevulture.net

a uniquely original and superbly accomplished work Full Review

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