A Difficult Year (French: Une année difficile) is a 2023 French comedy film written and directed by Éric Toledano and Olivier Nakache.[2]

A Difficult Year
Theatrical release poster
FrenchUne année difficile
Directed byÉric Toledano
Olivier Nakache
Written byÉric Toledano
Olivier Nakache
Produced byNicolas Duval Adassovsky
Starring
CinematographyMélodie Preel
Edited byDorian Rigal-Ansous
Music byGrandbrothers
Production
companies
Distributed byGaumont
Release date
  • 18 October 2023 (2023-10-18)
Running time
103 minutes
CountryFrance
LanguageFrench
Box office$6.9 million[1]

The film centres on Albert (Pio Marmaï) and Bruno (Jonathan Cohen), two friends with compulsive spending habits who are drawn into environmental activism by the promise of free food and beer rather than any political conviction.[3]

The cast also includes Mathieu Amalric, Luàna Bajrami, James Gaspar De Almeida, Jean-Louis Garçon, Grégoire Leprince-Ringuet, Noémie Merlant, Héléna Mogelan, Marie Papillon, Sophie Parel, Julie Tessier and Gaïa Warnant.

Cast

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Production

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A Difficult Year was produced by Quad and Ten Cinéma, in co-production with Gaumont and TF1 Films Production.[4]

Distribution

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The film was screened at the 2023 Cannes Film Market,[5] and had preview screenings in Clermont-Ferrand[6] and La Valette-du-Var,[7] in advance of its official commercial premiere in October.

The film had its international premiere in the Special Presentations stream at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival.[8][9]

The film was theatrically released on 18 October 2023 by Gaumont.[10]

Reception

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A Difficult Year received an average rating of 3.1 out of 5 stars on the French website AlloCiné, based on 35 reviews.[11]

Robert Daniels of Screen International gave the film a skeptical review. Though praising acting of Marmaï and Cohen, he noted overall shallowness of the film's heroes, and criticized the plot twists as implausible.[9]

References

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  1. ^ "A Difficult Year (2023)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 9 December 2023.
  2. ^ Keslassy, Elsa (16 January 2023). "Eric Toledano, Olivier Nakache on Their New Comedy With Gaumont, 'A Difficult Year,' Where Eco-Activists and Over-Spenders Cross Paths". Variety. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
  3. ^ Keslassy, Elsa (25 January 2023). "Gaumont Sells Most of Europe and Beyond for Eric Toledano, Olivier Nakache's Comedy 'A Difficult Year;' Unveils New Still". Variety. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
  4. ^ Lemercier, Fabien (15 September 2023). "Review: A Difficult Year". Cineuropa. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
  5. ^ Leffler, Rebecca (16 May 2023). "Cannes 2023: the buzz titles from France". Screen International. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
  6. ^ Bernard, Marie (15 July 2023). "Olivier Nakache et Éric Toledano présentent leur dernier film : 'Une année difficile'". La Montagne (in French). Retrieved 8 August 2023.
  7. ^ "Une année difficile en avant-première : rencontre avec Eric Toledano et Olivier Nakache". Info83 (in French). 29 July 2023. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
  8. ^ Canfield, David (24 July 2023). "Big Stars and Bigger Oscar Contenders Lead Toronto Film Festival Lineup". Vanity Fair. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
  9. ^ a b Daniels, Robert (14 September 2023). "'A Difficult Year': Toronto Review". Screen International. Retrieved 22 September 2023.
  10. ^ Choppin, Damien (22 April 2022). "Gaumont date le prochain film de Nakache et Toledano". Écran total (in French). Retrieved 8 October 2023.
  11. ^ "Critiques Presse pour le film Une année difficile". AlloCiné (in French). Retrieved 2 December 2023.
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