Popular reviews

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  Review by Eli Hayes ★★★½ 4

  The Measure of a Man is not a film that will be lauded for its direction nor for its cinematography, screenplay or editing. It’s a film that will be remembered for its absorbing lead performance. Vincent Lindon takes one deep into the mind of Thierry, a man who has recently lost his factory job and is now trying desperately to find work. Unfortunately, obstructions of the modern world, from the current state of the economy to the introduction of technology in the workplace, prevent him from doing so and thus he struggles to support his family financially.

  After impressing in Claire Denis’ recent atmospheric thriller, Bastards, Lindon goes to greater lengths here, deeply sinking into his role and displaying Thierry’s…

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  Review by Michael Sicinski ★★★

  [6]

  I've always found it interesting and a little odd that Harun Farocki worked with Christian Petzold on so many of his recent features, because on their surface, those films -- The State I Am In, Ghosts, Barbara, and Phoenix -- don't bear much resemblance to the documentaries and essay-films for which Farocki is known. This means nothing in itself, of course. Farocki was a versatile artist, and working with Petzold no doubt allowed him to explore different parts of his creative personality, such as his extensive cinephilia.

  But all other things being equal, if I were to imagine what Farocki's fixations and sensibilities might look like as applied to a narrative film, the result would strongly resemble The Measure…

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  Review by davidehrlich ★★★½

  Stéphane Brizé's "The Measure of a Man” begins in the middle of a conversation between a laid-off factory worker named Thierry (Vincent Lindon) and one of the many career counselors, job recruiters and loan officers who are largely powerless to help him get back on his feet. The bedraggled 51-year-old Frenchman has spent the first months of his unemployment learning how to operate a crane, only to be told that his efforts won't be rewarded with a job. "You can't mess with people,” Thierry growls at the lackey on the other side of the desk, but both of them know full well that he's wrong — in the corporate world, messing with people isn't just a possibility, it's often a prerequisite for success.

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  Review by Cindy T ★★★★ 2

  The Measure of a Man is a socio-drama in the style of the Dardenne brothers. Two Days, One Night without the deadline. The film features an outstanding performance by Vincent Lindon. His Best Actor Award at Cannes was well-deserved.

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  Review by Graham Williamson ★ 5

  Vincent Lindon is, as ever, terrifically watchable: interior, brooding, prowling, complex. Otherwise, what a chore this is, the kind of listless, aimless, pointless, joyless social realist drama that takes a look at the modern French job market and sort of shrugs at it. Its ad-libbed scenes ramble on for so long, I felt like I'd endured a whole TV box-set in the time it took for director Stéphane Brizé to drag them to a conclusion. When the best shot in your movie comes from a CCTV camera, you're in trouble; the final shot, in particular, is the sort of thing that would make any sensible director demand a retake.

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  Review by jacob🦈 ★★★½

  I’m 6’5

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  Review by russman ★★★½

  The lead actor Vincent Lindon is 181 cm tall (5'11")

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  Review by Steven Sheehan ★★★★

  There is more than a hint of the Dardennes or Ken Loach in this tough character study of a man forced to reassess his standing in the world and the principles that have been the cornerstone of his working life. Vincent Lindon is magnificent in the most subdued sense, always in front of lens, trying to retain a sense of dignity as the rug is continually pulled from under his feet by systematic bureaucracy.

  Thierry finds himself unemployed in his fifties, a traditional breadwinner who spent years working in a factory for the same company, with a wife and teenage son with special needs to support. Their savings are slowly dwindling away and Theirry lacks the relevant skills to find…

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  Review by Hugo Delire ★★★½

  Très beau film sur le futur de Madroz, un futur pauvre avec une vie de merde.

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  Review by just2good ★★★½

  I really enjoyed The Measure of a Man. Dardenne-esque, this is a strong character study dealing with unemployment, and being bossed around. Vincent Lindon’s Thierry is an incredible performance, one where his facial movements alone do enough in showing his struggle. I love where the film starts and where it ends - different direction than I expected, covering more commentary on topics like survelience and trust. A huge strength are the film’s realistic conversations, with words and statements naturally toppling over eachother in a genuine way few films do. I was annoyed by the awkward cuts within scenes, where there were some great oners but then some would just have a very noticeable cut in between. I also wish the film was longer, we could’ve used more family scenes with Thierry. Still, this was a fantastic watch teetering on an 8, and I’ll be checking out some of this director’s other work soon.

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  Review by Mark Cunliffe 🇵🇸 ★★★½

  ...Or 'I was looking for a job, and then I found a job, and Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now'

  A French film in the style of Ken Loach (who is of course very popular and acclaimed in France), The Measure Of A Man lacks however some key Loachian touches, notably a sense of humour or a strong dramatic drive. Stephané Brizé's film is compassionate, but indirect. There's an aimless, lingering quality to its scenes that belie its mere ninety minute runtime, making it feel much, much longer.

  In the central role of Thierry, Vincent Lindon evokes our sympathy as he tries to keep a hold of his quiet dignity in the face of the dehumanizing nature and misery of ineffective…

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  Review by skyhir ★½

  Sorry Jesus, the crucifixion thing just seems kinda weak after watching Vincent Lindon do retail security.