Unfortunately, the material flounders from the broadly farcical to the bombastically melodramatic.
Samba
Sometimes those with nothing have the most to lose.
2014 · 1h 58m · R
Comedy, Drama
Directed by
Éric Toledano
,
Olivier Nakache
Overview
Samba migrated to France 10 years ago from Senegal, and has since been plugging away at various lowly jobs. Alice is a senior executive who has recently undergone a burnout. Both struggle to get out of their dead-end lives. Samba's willing to do whatever it takes to get working papers, while Alice tries to get her life back on track until fate draws them together.
Director and cast
Critics on Rotten Tomatoes
Top critics, in their words
"Samba" tries to be too many things to too many people, although you can't say it doesn't have heart.
Gainsbourg and Sy play off each other wonderfully, emphasizing how these characters relate to each other as people; their scenes together feel emotionally honest even though one can barely imagine them happening in real life.
"Samba" is loosely plotted and is at least 20 minutes too long. It seems ready to end half a dozen times before it finally does, with ironic payoffs for Samba and Alice that are too glib to be satisfying.
It's easy to enjoy what the cast does on screen; it's harder to buy the nutty mood swings and, as written, Gainsbourg's generic trainwreck of a character.
More films
Not Here to Be Loved (2005)
Drama · Romance · N/A
Jean-Claude Delsart, a 50 years-old bailiff, with his worn-out smile and heart, abandoned a long time ago the idea that life could give him pleasures. Until the day, he dares to push the doors of a tango lesson...
- Runtime
- 1h 33m
- Director
- Stéphane Brizé
- Cast
- Patrick Chesnais, Anne Consigny, Georges Wilson
Fight Club (1999)
Drama · Thriller · R
A ticking-time-bomb insomniac and a slippery soap salesman channel primal male aggression into a shocking new form of therapy. Their concept catches on, with underground "fight clubs" forming in every town, until an eccentric gets in the way and ignites an out-of-control spiral toward oblivion.
- Runtime
- 2h 19m
- Director
- David Fincher
- Cast
- Edward Norton, Brad Pitt, Helena Bonham Carter
The Cuckoo (2002)
Comedy · Drama · History · Romance · PG-13
September of 1944, a few days before Finland went out of the Second World War. A chained to a rock Finnish sniper-kamikadze Veikko managed to set himself free. Ivan, a captain of the Soviet Army, arrested by the Front Secret Police 'Smersh', has a narrow escape. They are soldiers of the two enemy armies. A Lapp woman Anni gives a shelt...
- Runtime
- 1h 40m
- Director
- Aleksandr Rogozhkin
- Cast
- Anni-Kristiina Juuso, Ville Haapasalo, Viktor Bychkov
Dances with Wolves (1990)
Adventure · Drama · Western · PG-13
Wounded Civil War soldier John Dunbar tries to commit suicide—and becomes a hero instead. As a reward, he's assigned to his dream post, a remote junction on the Western frontier, and soon makes unlikely friends with the local Sioux tribe.
- Runtime
- 3h 1m
- Director
- Kevin Costner
- Cast
- Mary McDonnell, Graham Greene, Rodney A. Grant
The Terminal (2004)
Comedy · Drama · PG-13
An Eastern European tourist unexpectedly finds himself stranded in JFK airport, and must take up temporary residence there.
- Runtime
- 2h 8m
- Director
- Steven Spielberg
- Cast
- Tom Hanks, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Stanley Tucci
The Lorax (2012)
Animation · Family · PG
A 12-year-old boy searches for the one thing that will enable him to win the affection of the girl of his dreams. To find it he must discover the story of the Lorax, the grumpy yet charming creature who fights to protect his world.
- Runtime
- 1h 26m
- Director
- Kyle Balda, Chris Renaud
- Cast
- Danny DeVito, Zac Efron, Ed Helms
Home Makeover (2010)
Animation · Comedy · Family · N/A
When a social worker visits Gru’s house to assess its suitability for children, chaos ensues. Margo, Edith, and Agnes, along with the ever-mischievous Minions, scramble to give the home a makeover in record time. Their attempts to create a warm and inviting environment quickly spiral into hilarity as the Minions’ unorthodox methods lea...
- Runtime
- 5m
- Director
- Kyle Balda, Samuel Tourneux
- Cast
- Miranda Cosgrove, Dana Gaier, Elsie Kate Fisher
Orientation Day (2010)
Animation · Comedy · Family · N/A
The Minions embark on their first day of work, eager to prove themselves in their new roles. After watching a hilariously outdated 'Initiation Video,' three rookie Minions take on bomb-carrying duty. Predictably, their enthusiasm quickly spirals into chaos as they bungle the simplest of tasks. Packed with slapstick comedy and the Minio...
- Runtime
- 4m
- Director
- Kyle Balda, Samuel Tourneux
- Cast
- Pierre Coffin, Rob Huebel












Comments
Talk about the film with other members