Nelly and Monsieur Arnaud is an exquisite, beautifully written and acted film. The characters are complex and interesting. They are also completely believable. Although the film deals with emotions, the film is never mawkish or maudlin and the characters are never allowed to descend to the level of drama for the sake of drama. I found the story enthralling from beginning to end. I was a bit concerned about the "adult love story" description. But, amazingly in this day and age, this film is free of ugly graphic sex scenes. Michel Serrault gives an excellent performance full of nuance and subtle changes. Emmanuelle Beart is effective and holds her own with Serrault. This is a film not to be missed.