Review of Le papillon (2002) by Lisping H — 26 Aug 2007

Philippe Muyl's heartfelt, jovial sentiment as a film director here, coupled with the attachment of Julien, a solitary widow who takes pride in his butterfly collection above all else, and Elsa, the 9-year old daughter of one of his neighbors, proves to be a delightful, winning combination in this harmless, feel-good family film that shows how, in the human condition, people need each other, even when two individuals are coming from seemingly different worlds, as the banter in the former part of the film in particular highlights.

This film may appear overly schmaltzy to some, according to their film tastes, but the film succeeds through its character development, honest dialogue and gentle cinematography. As a bonus, the closing soundtrack song brought a wide smile to my face, and epitomizes much of what's pleasing about this feel-good family film. :).