Rosetta

Audience Reviews

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Isaac F @RT20976333 Oct 4, 2026 A masterclass in gritty realism and restraint. See more

Alain E @AlainE Nov 1, 2025 A super depressive movie that appears to proceed to a terrible ending for the young heroine, when at the very last moment we are offered the possibility of escape. It is so well constructed, despite showing very few memorable events, that when I looked up the time believing that I was somewhere in the middle, there were only 8 minutes of duration left. Now , if you expect car chases, shootings and explosions this is not what is taking place. There is a quiet desperation that pushes the young girl forward until she seems to have reached her breaking point. The non events that we are witnessing include changing from her walking boots into galoshes, boiling an egg and trying to insulate the decrepit caravan she shares with her alcoholic mother. Emilie Dequenne understandably was awarded the Best Actress prize at Cannes. If you feel unduly optimistic, this movie will definitely give you a reason to end everything. See more

Thomas S @RT53929595 Jun 17, 2025 La fierté des pauvres et le malheur de ceux qui n'ont pas eu d'enfance… Ayant grandi en Belgique dans les années 90, ce film a été pour moi un véritable voyage dans le temps. Les francs, les emballages, les vêtements : chaque détail m’a replongé dans une époque familière. Je pouvais presque sentir l’odeur des gaufres pendant le visionnage. Incroyable pouvoir de la mémoire — et du cinéma. See more

Kevin L @Lakeman Jul 19, 2024 Bit too gut-punch to wanna watch again, but this is pure Dardenne brothers. Down and out, and down...and down... But the lead performance by Émilie Dequenne simply brilliant. She just seems to literally be Rosetta- a girl in a perpetual state of clawing uphill for even a hint of hope or normalcy. Through the camera work of Marcoen and the Dardennes' skillful film making, we gaze in on the life of an individual who does all that she possibly can to climb out of the hole that society has made impossible to climb out of in the majority of circumstances for far more people than most can imagine. The Dardennes don’t paint Rosetta as a heroine who, but as a girl who has been thrown into a world that no one should ever have to experience, and the raw and human reactions that come with that. She represents the marginalized; the forgotten. This is barebones film making execution. The brothers manage to convey so much about what so many people must do to make it in a world that shows no mercy. It displays how desperate some must be, whether it be rational desperate action through Rosetta or irrational desperate action through her mother. You can’t watch the movie and not realize that whatever you have, you should be thankful for. The cinematography may turn some off, as the shaky camera work and low budget look of the movie may be mistaken as poor quality cinema. And the ending may leave some viewers confused as to what Rosetta's plan is and why it ends so abruptly. But it works. 3.4 stars See more

Dave S @RT68722908 Jan 25, 2024 Desperate to avoid a fate similar to that of her promiscuous, alcoholic mother, 17-year-old Rosetta (Emilie Duquenne) struggles to find employment in a job market that seems to have little or no interest in what she has to offer. An early offering from writers and directors Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne, Rosetta is nothing if not consistent with their overall body of work – an austere social commentary on the struggles of the economically disadvantaged. The performances are strong throughout, the probing handheld camerawork, dizzying at times, is effective, and the messages regarding the unfairness of life are hammered home relentlessly. While it may not be at the same level of some of the later films from the Dardennes, it's a great introduction to what the brothers have to offer. See more

S R @ScottR Apr 4, 2023 1001 movies to see before you die. This was unique, but I struggled with it since I didn't identify with the main character. It was good to learn about this odd peripheral culture in France though and I appreciate what the goal was. However, I do not like the shaky camera narrative. It was on HBO. See more

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Rosetta

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