The Hedgehog
- Josiane Balasko: Renée Michel
- Garance Le Guillermic: Paloma Josse
- Togo Igawa: Kakuro Ozu
- Anne Brochet: Solange Josse
- Ariane Ascaride: Manuela Lopez
- Vladimir Yordanoff: Paul Josse
- Sarah Lepicard: Colombe Josse
- Jean -Luc Porraz: Jean -Pierre
- Gisèle Casadesus: Mme de Broglie
- Mona Heftre: Mme Meurisse
The elegance of Madame Michel is a French film drama from the year 2009. It is the film adaptation of the novel The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery.
Action
Renée Michel is a concierge in a posh Parisian apartment building. Outside of their work they read books in a small library and is served with dark chocolate in its own well -stocked refrigerator. The residents of the house they perceive little, because it is old and unattractive and go with absolutely everything. The only exceptions are the young, highly intelligent Paloma, exactly ( with a film camera ) observed their environment and is told from the perspective of a majority of the film, as well as the new, mysterious inhabitants Mr Ozu.
Paloma fears, like the fish to end up in the fishbowl of the family, and decides to end her life at the age of 12. To be able to overlook the period, she has painted a calendar in her room on the wall and provide each passing day with a drawing.
The Lord Ozu very educated has the quote of Madame Michel " All happy families resemble each other ... " spontaneously completed with " but each unhappy family is unhappy in her special way " ( first sentence in Anna Karenina ). In doing so he recognized them as kindred spirits and invites her to dinner at his apartment. This confuses Madame Michel completely. How do they dress? A neighbor lent her an elegant dress from the cleaners and has already made a hair appointment. The evening is very nice for both of them. Mr. Ozu himself cooked.
A few days later, Mr. Ozu Madame Michel is ideal for eating out. First, she says, echoes Mr. Ozu but later to realize that their rejection was not final. When she finds beautiful boxes with elegant wardrobe of Mr. Ozu at her door, she accepts the invitation and will be picked up by Mr. Ozu in a limousine.
After the evening she reads the whole night in her reading room. She is happy. Maybe she is in love with Mr. Ozu? When she steps into the street in the morning, she gets hit by a car and dies. Mr. Ozu, it covers - in tears - with his jacket on.
The film leaves open whether Paloma their plan to take her own life converts.
Background
Although the movie was completed in 2008, he appeared in France only in 2009 and Germany in 2010. Theatrical release in Germany was 6 May 2010.
Criticism
" Subtle - humorously told, with enigmatic dialogues and good actors, convinced the delicate enjoyable film debut by his marked by tolerance and compassion views of a human microcosm. "