Odd but wonderful Quebecois film about a young woman, Nicole (Julianne Côté), who is spending a lazy summer at her parents' house while they're away. Much of the time her best friend (Catherine St-Laurent) is hanging out with her, and her brother and his two band members also spend most of their time there, practicing. The mood of this film is quite different: it's very quiet, relaxed. You really get the sense of the ennui of Nicole's existence. Many will find it slow, but I found it both lovely and sad. It's also quite funny. Maybe not laugh-out-loud funny, but slyly amusing. The cinematography is a crisp black and white. I loved it.
10 Reviews
Killing time with Nicole
PhilLag14 November 2016
I remember that during the premiere of Tu Dors Nicole at the Cannes Film Festival, many viewers left the theater before the end of the film and some left after only 30 minutes. Does that mean that the film proposed by Stéphane Lafleur is of no interest? After watching it in its entirety, I must say that it isn't the case. His film is full of interesting ideas disseminated throughout the duration.
One possible cause of the desertion of the viewers would be the rhythm. Even if the movie is only 93 minutes, the slow pace might irritate some. However, considering the subject (a young woman killing time during summer in the suburb), the pace helps to reflect the odd situations that Nicole (good performance by Julianne Côté) lives and helps to explain her jaded character.
We recognize the touch of its director in the universe he presents us with some strange, almost dreamlike, elements that reminds his precedent works such as En Terrains Connus. The soundtrack and the black-and-white cinematography help to give this impression of strangeness from situations or places that are at the same time familiar. There are some elements from the cinematographic language that are used to amplify the comic tone, but I won't spoil anything here. The humor works almost every time and is well dosed. Some situations involves misunderstandings between the characters that have at least the merit of making the viewer smile.
In the end, with the above-mentioned elements, Tu Dors Nicole is some kind of cinematographic UFO. But the film as a whole works well and depending on the patience of the viewer, it'll prove to be worth the time spent. Just for the atypical character of Martin, the film deserves to be seen and listened to in its entirety.
One possible cause of the desertion of the viewers would be the rhythm. Even if the movie is only 93 minutes, the slow pace might irritate some. However, considering the subject (a young woman killing time during summer in the suburb), the pace helps to reflect the odd situations that Nicole (good performance by Julianne Côté) lives and helps to explain her jaded character.
We recognize the touch of its director in the universe he presents us with some strange, almost dreamlike, elements that reminds his precedent works such as En Terrains Connus. The soundtrack and the black-and-white cinematography help to give this impression of strangeness from situations or places that are at the same time familiar. There are some elements from the cinematographic language that are used to amplify the comic tone, but I won't spoil anything here. The humor works almost every time and is well dosed. Some situations involves misunderstandings between the characters that have at least the merit of making the viewer smile.
In the end, with the above-mentioned elements, Tu Dors Nicole is some kind of cinematographic UFO. But the film as a whole works well and depending on the patience of the viewer, it'll prove to be worth the time spent. Just for the atypical character of Martin, the film deserves to be seen and listened to in its entirety.
A Better One
shadman_sadik18 December 2017
I never thought i'd be watching this movie but i am pretty much happy i watched.
I felt intense till the end every frame is countable. The Protagonist Nicole is vulnerable but it will give you hope. I also loved the music.
Deeply atmospheric and haunting
Red_Identity29 December 2015
I definitely expected something different than what I got from this film. On the surface, it's a simple premise, a seeming coming-of-age tale of a young woman in the brink of adulthood and her feelings about growing up. A lot of the film works in the quiet though, all of the performances are incredibly understated but very effective (even more effective than the lead actress is Marc-Andre Grondin, who really shows us the loneliness and yearning to stay a certain way). Many will not take to the film, which is understandable because it's not at all plot driven by any means. However, it's only as it goes on that you really feel like you are watching something special, most evident when the extraordinary ending comes.
Funny / Sad / Real
DavoZed12 March 2022
A very good coming of age story and told from a young woman's point of view, unlike almost 100% of this genre.
The central character is bright and funny and real but hopelessly stuck in the no man's (woman's) land between the end of school and the start of adulthood. Her instincts are good but she is constantly let down by her circumstances and the people around her.
Achingly real, difficult to watch, brilliantly shot in black and white and often at night, to mirror her aimless sleepwalk through her late adolescence.
A must see for film lovers and a reminder that Quebec makes the best Canadian films.
Much, much better than most of the reviews here.
The central character is bright and funny and real but hopelessly stuck in the no man's (woman's) land between the end of school and the start of adulthood. Her instincts are good but she is constantly let down by her circumstances and the people around her.
Achingly real, difficult to watch, brilliantly shot in black and white and often at night, to mirror her aimless sleepwalk through her late adolescence.
A must see for film lovers and a reminder that Quebec makes the best Canadian films.
Much, much better than most of the reviews here.
This movie captures life as it is lived
LyceeM1614 August 2016
Warning: Spoilers
What a great undiscovered gem. This film captures the lives of the characters (especially that of Nicole) by means of quiet understated scenes that convey perfectly the accumulated stress of sleeplessness, hanging out with the somewhat random group of people we find ourselves with in our early 20s, and the integrity and struggles of the main character. This movie captures life as it is lived. It also captures the casual infliction of slights and hurts that are likely part of every life. Scenes appear at first to be randomly presented but the structure of the plot emerges and, with it, the characters start to become 3 dimensional.
Nicole's Ennui
larrys319 November 2015
Beautifully shot in black and white, and set during the summer in a town in Quebec, this film is intentionally slow-paced as it tracks the ennui of its main character Nicole. The sexy young woman, ably portrayed by Julianne Cote, is trying to navigate herself through such early adult experiences as relationships with men, trying to cope with a most boring job, and getting her first credit card, on which she promptly books a trip to Iceland with her best friend Veronique (Catherine St-Laurent).
With her parents away on vacation, Nicole has been left to look after their house, along with her much older and rather depressive brother Remi. He's constantly conducting jam sessions in the home with his band mates, which is not helping Nicole's insomnia any.
I think one's enjoyment of this movie will depend on how long the viewer is willing to wait, with its very deliberate pacing, for the comedic nuggets to appear. I thought there were some very funny scenes, while others didn't work as well, and appeared too flat-toned and even tedious, at times.
All in all, the deadpan and quirky humor here only is partially successful, in my opinion. The film is written and directed by Stephane Lafleur.
With her parents away on vacation, Nicole has been left to look after their house, along with her much older and rather depressive brother Remi. He's constantly conducting jam sessions in the home with his band mates, which is not helping Nicole's insomnia any.
I think one's enjoyment of this movie will depend on how long the viewer is willing to wait, with its very deliberate pacing, for the comedic nuggets to appear. I thought there were some very funny scenes, while others didn't work as well, and appeared too flat-toned and even tedious, at times.
All in all, the deadpan and quirky humor here only is partially successful, in my opinion. The film is written and directed by Stephane Lafleur.
French Ha?
benighted200517 November 2015
Warning: Spoilers
Tu Dors Nicole is a film that begins in black and white tracing the life of two young girls. One is the quieter one who bemoans the excessive personality of her other friend but doesn't ever show any sort of emotion because she thinks she is above showing emotion.
No redeeming quality in her character other than a willingness to wait for change while it comes without jumping to any station. I think it annoyed people around her too, the way she was, slow, contemplative, waiting for the wind to change.
Overall, I didn't hate or love this film but felt it really lacked any cinematic boldness. I would go as far as saying it was one of the most unfrench french films I have seen trailing the exhausting life of a lost young girl who's brother plays great guitar, and the brothers summer she love/hates..and this other guy who's just awkward.
The saving grace of the film was that little kid who loves nicole. But then, that prevented it from hitting a 4/10 and oh well, I don't recommend this film at all. Ignore this.
No redeeming quality in her character other than a willingness to wait for change while it comes without jumping to any station. I think it annoyed people around her too, the way she was, slow, contemplative, waiting for the wind to change.
Overall, I didn't hate or love this film but felt it really lacked any cinematic boldness. I would go as far as saying it was one of the most unfrench french films I have seen trailing the exhausting life of a lost young girl who's brother plays great guitar, and the brothers summer she love/hates..and this other guy who's just awkward.
The saving grace of the film was that little kid who loves nicole. But then, that prevented it from hitting a 4/10 and oh well, I don't recommend this film at all. Ignore this.
Nicole Needs to Sleep Through This Film.
anaconda-4065816 June 2015
Warning: Spoilers
Tu Dors Nicole (2014): Dir: Stephane Laflear / Cast: Julianne Cote, Marc-Andre Grondin, Catherine St-Laurent, Francis La Haye, Simon Larouche: Boring Canadian film with a title that translates to You're Sleeping, Nicole. She is sleeping and it is allowing her summer to escape. Her name is Nicole, and she is played by Julianne Cote. She is a young adult watching the house while her parents are away but is disturbed when her older brother drops in with his band to record an album. Tension rises when she cannot find peace and quiet and struggles to maintain any sleep schedule. Catherine St-Laurent plays her best friend whom she hopes to spend time with but she becomes distracted by the boys in the band. Marc-Andre Grondin plays Nicole's brother whose band has trouble maintaining a drummer due to his inability to get along. One of his band mates is awaiting to become a father any day now. His new drummer strikes up a few quiet moments with Nicole where she sews his pants. She is an issue all her own. She steals from the thrift shop she works at. She struggles to unlock her bicycle chain. The funniest encounter involves a male tween she babysits who has a crush on her. His voice is deep and adult completely misleading his small stature. Unfortunately the screenplay is dull with director Stephane Laflear often lingering on objects for no apparent reason. The black and white presentation is slick but the music is lousy sounding like something emerging from a jack-in-the-box. While the theme stresses a summer fully going south on this female, the screenplay goes south so fast that viewers are likely to go to sleep. Score: 5 / 10
the atmosphere
Kirpianuscus9 April 2018
...is the lead virtue and good motif for see it. because, at the first sigh, the story do not exist. a young woman levels to self discover. dialogues, plans, relations, experiences. and, in final, answers. to herself. about life, the others, forms of happiness and ways to escape from the borders of a deep crisis. all in a seductive film, seductive for the grace of Julianne Cote performance and for a sort of minimalism who is the right prize for a part of public.
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