A French comedy about Andrei (Alexeï Guskov), a cleaning man at the Bolshoi orchestra in Moscow. Thirty years ago he was the renowned conductor of the Bolshoi, but was fired for hiring Jewish musicians.
When Andrei intercepts a fax from the Châtelet Theater in Paris inviting the Bolshoi orchestra to play, he concocts a devious plan to return to glory. He bands together a bunch of out-of-work musicians to perform in Paris in their place.
This film reminded me of the surreal Window to Paris. In The Concert, the fake Bolshoi orchestra consists of virtuoso gypsies, stereotypical nationalities, idiosyncratic personalities and former members of the original genuine Bolshoi. There's a tragic history behind the Russian conductor and his sought after French violinist. The highlight is the Concert itself. Light comedy and farce with some sad searching moments.
I've been watching foreign cinema for 25 years and The Concert would have to be the most predictable, trite piece of mainstream garbage I've seen outside of the Hollywood machine. It's awful to have a sense of a cinematic formula being churned out and that's exactly how The Concert feels. The concept for the film could have produced something special, but the small group I went along with all left the theatre in disappointed silence - The Concert is an embarrassment.
A great story, if a bit far fetched and slow to get going, but the last scene, the concert, - brilliant.
i really enjoyed this movie, it was uplifing, nicely acted and emotional. most of my row was misty at the end! if you enjoyed as it was in heaven then you will thoroughly enjoy this movie too.
More sentimental, less spiky than Mihaileanu's stock-in-trade, Le Concert is an enjoyable take on the underdogs genre. And Laurent and the music are sublime.
The harder this desperately obsequious circus of a movie tries to entertain, the more it falls short.
The story regurgitates the usual trappings of underdog tales, milking stereotypes as well as tear ducts.
We've been told the NZ release date for this flick is Thursday, 19th Aug 2010.
Release date: August 19th 2010.
We haven't received times for this movie in this location yet. However these are updated as cinemas announce them, so check back soon. Hopefully the lovely cinemas in your location will choose to play it shortly. ~Ed.
