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Maxime Collin, Ginette Reno, Roland Blouin, Julien Guiomar, Pierre Bourgault ... see more see more... , Giudetta Del Vecchio , Andree Lachapelle , Denys Arcand , Germain Houde , Lorne Brass , Gilbert Sicotte , Karen Murphy , Luc Proulx , Jacques Marcotte , Marie-Helene Montpetit , Aron Tager , Giuditta Del Vecchio , Yves Montmarquette , Binette Reno

Jean-Claude Lauzon's highly praised film tells the strange story of Léolo, a young boy from Montréal. Told from Léolo's point-of-view, the film depicts his family of lunatics and Léolo's attempts to d... read more read more...eal with them. Not one individual in the boy's life is well adjusted. His brother, after being beaten up, spends the film bulking up on growth protein. The grandfather hires half-naked girls to bite off his toenails and, in a brutal rage, almost kills Léolo. As he witnesses his family decay around him, Léolo retreats into himself and the fantasy world he has constructed. In response to the weirdness of his daily life, Léolo creates a little mental mayhem of his own which Lauzon renders in an amazing series of free-form, surreal images. Eventually, this precarious balance of reality and fantasy cracks and Léolo is hospitalized after attempting to murder his grandfather. The score by Tom Waits underscores the narrative arc of Léolo's breakdown. On its release, the film won numerous awards including the International Fantasy Film Award for Best Director (1992) and a Genie Award for Best Original Screenplay (1992). ~ Brian Whitener, Rovi

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86% liked it

5,373 ratings

Critics

100% liked it

9 critics

Unrated, 1 hr. 47 min.

Directed by: Jean-Claude Lauzon, Jean Claude Lauzon

Release Date: January 1, 1992

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DVD Release Date: October 25, 2005

Stats: 360 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (360)

  • drago25
    January 28, 2008
    drago25
    A fantastic Canadian film, in both quality and content. Strange though, but in that lovely sort of way that draws you in. Basically it's the story of a highly intelligent boy growing up in a tenement in Montreal with his oddball, mostly insane, family, and the imaginary living dr... read moreeam world he creates for himself which is often hard to distinguish from reality. This is one of those poetic sort of films that are magical in a way, and hard to define, breathtaking at times, confusing at times, also - but ultimately rewarding. In any case, it`s a truly unique film that should be seen by an anyone with an appreciation for "off the beaten path" type films.
  • lesleyanorton
    May 14, 2011
    lesleyanorton
    Canadian boy comes of age in nutty family. A strange film, a bit like watching something by a sedated Jean-Pierre Jeunet, with a heartbreaking ending.

    From RHADYNASCIMENTO's favourites list
  • divinetrash
    August 17, 2011
    divinetrash
    For a movie where defecating and masturbation have a surprising amount of screen time, this is a very whimsical and funny story about a dysfunctional family just trying to make it out alive. The script does a very good job of showing the world through the eyes of a young boy, acc... read moreurately capturing the desperate nature with which we try to make sense of the world.
  • g1pp4l
    September 6, 2009
    g1pp4l
    Because I dream, I am not.
  • Dracula787
    November 7, 2008
    Dracula787
    Leolo was the second and final film from the French Canadian Jean-Claude Lauzon, who tragically died in a plane crash before making another film. This is a very hard film to describe, it?s sort of an absurdist journey through the mind of a mischievous youth. This kid, the title... read more character is not a reliable narrator; in fact he makes up all kinds of crazy stuff. It?s apparently a fairly autobiographical film, except it?s told expressionistically rather than literally. The film is fairly episodic, it just goes through a number of the strangely perceived events in the kid?s life. It?s a hard movie to wrap your head around and a hard film to comment on without further study. It didn?t blow me away, but I definitely dug it.
  • vadermccandless
    May 21, 2012
    vadermccandless
    A bizarre, compelling fantasy world of pre-pubescent emotions, revelations, and ambitions. Utterly fascinating and dreamlike.
  • catlyst
    March 7, 2011
    catlyst
    this prime example of french-canadian magical realism has a very different feel than the spanish. the imagination of this young boy is captured brilliantly in his writing (told mostly through reflective narrative). I miss seeing films like this, and am glad that such examples do ... read moreexist outside of Europe. The whole premise (& existence) of the boy is comical, but the movie explores in detail familiar family struggles, particularly with their minds. How precious the mind is; to be always protected, guarded and fed with (healthy) imagination.

    curious that i stumbled upon this DVD just after booking next month's trip to Montreal! Vive Le Quebec (dare say I "libre")!
  • dukeakasmudge
    October 16, 2009
    dukeakasmudge
    Just could not get into this movie & after falling asleep a couple times, I just gave up & turned it off
  • MARS9T8D4
    June 21, 2009
    MARS9T8D4
    A wonderful movie rich in fantasy and cynicism of a young boy who retreats in his dreams to escape his dysfunctional life.
  • NovoFlix
    October 7, 2008
    NovoFlix
    Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine I would find another boy fathered in the same way - I finally have the connection I have been craving my entire life. Thank you, Leolo, thank you.

View All Léolo Reviews

Critic Reviews

Hal Hinson
January 1, 2000
Hal Hinson, Washington Post

A disturbing, imaginative, beautifully realized film. Full Review

James Berardinelli
January 1, 2000
James Berardinelli, ReelViews

A strangely-captivating motion picture. Full Review

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

I felt alive when I was watching it. Full Review

Dennis Schwartz
February 25, 2008
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews

Caught the big picture in a strikingly fresh way. Full Review

Emanuel Levy
January 24, 2007
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com

French-Canadian Lauzon's disturbing and audacious comin-of-age saga, which opened the 1993 Toronto Film Festival, centers on a boy who actually believes that his mother was impregnated by a sperm-cove... Full Review

Kevin N. Laforest
September 10, 2002
Kevin N. Laforest, Montreal Film Journal

The best Quebecois movie ever made. Full Review

Bruce Kirkland
January 1, 2000
Bruce Kirkland, Jam! Movies

A visionary yet profoundly disturbing masterpiece about a young boy's rites-of-passage into adult life.

Janet Maslin
August 30, 2004
Janet Maslin, New York Times

Click to read the article Full Review

Ryan Cracknell
December 14, 2003
Ryan Cracknell, Movie Views

No review available.

Hollis Chacona
January 1, 2000
Hollis Chacona, Austin Chronicle

Click to read the article Full Review

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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