Beystiman It's fun, it's light, [but] it has a hard time when its tries to get heavy.

Ortiz Excellent and certainly provocative... If nothing else, the film is a real conversation starter.

Cody One of the best movies of the year! Incredible from the beginning to the end.

Cheryl A clunky actioner with a handful of cool moments.

The Hateful Citizen Movies about the Second World War are some of the favorite subjects of writers and directors, movies about the Holocaust, some very beautiful, such as "The Pianist" or "Schindler's List" which are two monuments of cinema, but these films deal with the Holocaust in Poland or in the German camps but movies on the politics of the government of Petain and the Holocaust in France, and thus represented by the Vel d'Hiv, there are very few of them and it can be said that this one is successful, denouncing a face very often hidden but especially very black History (with a large H) of France, showing Jews living on French territory expelled and deported, believing they are directed to a Jewish territory while they are directed only to extermination camps. The film is historically interesting and poignant, a success that deserves 7/10. A French film about a French shame.

dromasca The Jewish people faced many dark moments in its long and troubled history. What happened in the night of July 16, 1942 in Paris - the arrest of more than ten thousand Jews, men and women, young, old and children, their detention at the Velodrome d'Hiver, followed by their deportation to transit camps in France and then to the death camps in Poland - was one of these dark moments. It is for the French nation however that I dare say this was maybe the darkest moment in their history. Never has France - or at least modern France - abandoned the principles of tolerance and generosity to the weak and prosecuted who knocked at its gates as did that night Petain, Laval and the other collaborationists who were accomplices to the sending to hell and death of so many innocent people.I have used a few film reviews back the term of 'docu-melodrama' and I guess that I can use it here as well, adding maybe the adjective 'historical' in front. 'La Raffle' ambitiously retraces the story of a few Jewish families of all conditions living in Paris at the time of the German occupation in 1942 and falling victim to the deeds of the German occupiers and of their French collaborators. Although the characters may be fictional the stories are essentially true, and the film starts with a written message attesting the historic accuracy of all the extreme situations that are being described. The fiction parts are interleaved with a few documentary sequences, as well as with re-enacted scenes from the headquarters of the German army and French police, of the discussions between the French leader Petain and prime minister Laval, and between Hitler himself, his faithful executioner Himmler and other people in his entourage. The script written by Rose Bosch (who also directed) takes good care to balance the acts of the 'bad' and 'good' French but the horror of the situation of the descent of a whole people from trust and hope into fear and despair is the strong message that cannot get lost.There is great acting to be admired in this film - first of all Jean Reno as the Jewish physician trying to face an impossible situation, alleviate sufferings, save lives, while knowing about his own faith. Melanie Laurent is sensible and credible in the role of the nurse that aims to represent what was left good and human among the French in those times. Some of the supporting roles are also memorable such as the Trotskyst family father played by Gad Elmaleh, a victim of a double disillusion. I liked less the historic background scenes, especially the ones related to Hitler's environment, and the actor playing Hitler who was badly miscast and directed, undecided whether he should be evil or operetta-ic. Overall the film has however very strong scenes, some of the best in the Holocaust movies and asks the right questions about the French role in the tragedy of its Jews. Is this melodrama? yes - but very strong and well made, impressing to tears and nothing is wrong with this - there are no bad genres, just bad movies and La Raffle is certainly not among them.

starofhealing I came across this film quite by accident, but I am glad I did. I am a huge fan of Jean Reno, and I became a fan recently, of Melanie Laurent, who I met through the film, "Inglorious Basterds". I knew I wanted to watch this film based on these excellent actors, and the fact that it was a French story surrounding the Holocaust, which I'd never seen before - a French story regarding the Holocaust. The fact that it is a true story of the events of July 16, 1942, sealed the deal. This story is heart-wrenching and heartbreaking, and is so well told, that as a human, you are feeling everything each Jewish person and family goes through, in these events. As a human, you are reminded how evil and cold- hearted the Nazi machine was, and how there are some people who refuse to give up their humanity, no matter the costs. While we say that we don't want this to ever happen again, I am reminded of news stories where these things are happening again. Ethnic groups killed with machetes, or chemicals like sarin gas, or restriction of water and food, so they starve or die of thirst. I think this film should be watched by every high school student, in any country, so that they see what really happened that day. Maybe, if we all share the same vision that this should not be repeated, then perhaps it won't. It is a naive dream, I know. I think evil will always be here. Jean Reno and Melanie Laurent are excellent in their performances, and I applaud, applaud, applaud them!!!!

John Raymond Peterson Mélanie Laurent is convincing. At the time of this review the rating averaged 6.9, so it has crept up from what it was earlier, as I can tell by reading other user reviews; I think it has a fair result considering other movies on the subject. Speaking of the subject, the Vel' d'Hiv Roundup of 1942, it is an historical fact (easy to check on Wikipedia). This movie highlights the children's fate more than the rest and the actors in those roles did a pretty good job. Because we see children being torn from their parents and being brought to be killed as they were, it is a difficult movie to watch, how can it not. Some reviewers complain about the numerous movies on the subject of the holocaust; there have been genocides before WWII and more even since, so as long as there are, there must be movies on the subject. Books and encyclopedias can relate facts etc., but motion pictures about genocides do a far better job at conveying the horror and the evil it is. Two movies were produced and released in 2010 on the Vel' d'Hiv Roundup of 1942, the other being 'Sarah's Key'; I hope as many people as possible see at least one of them, because I for one understand how movies help shape the thinking of a generation.