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Poster for La Promesse

La Promesse

1996 · 1h 34m · Not Rated Drama
Directed by Jean-Pierre Dardenne , Luc Dardenne

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Overview

Igor, aged 15, and his father Roger deal in housing and peddling illicit labor in the outlying districts of Liege, Belgium. Scams, lies and swindling rule their lives. When one of his father’s illegal workers gets injured on the job and asks Igor to promise to take care of his wife and baby, Igor finds himself at a crossroad. He wants to keep the promise, but the price would be to betray his father.

Director and cast

Critics on Rotten Tomatoes

Top critics, in their words

All reviews
95%
Tomatometer
Fresh

The film is entirely within the caught-on-the-run tradition of cinema verite, which makes it all the grittier and its conclusion all the more wrenching.

Jeff Millar, Houston Chronicle
Fresh

The conflicts involved are intense and absorbing, proving that compelling moral dilemmas make for the most dramatic cinema.

Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times
Fresh

The Dardenne brothers, as shown by their empathic casting, their very choice of theme, have confessed to a burden. They believe in hope.

Stanley Kauffmann, The New Republic
Fresh

Ranks with the great European art-house classics about childhood betrayed and innocence lost.

John Hartl, Film.com
Fresh

Speaks volumes about how we treat other human beings and what it means to truly grow up.

James Berardinelli, ReelViews

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