User reviews

I didn't expect to like this movie, for reasons I can't explain even to myself. But I did. Dupontel, both in front and behind the camera, does his thing, and it's truly remarkable. For those unfamiliar with his work, I invite to watch some. The guy exists in his own world and does his own thing. And it works. It often makes you feel uncomfortable, probably because it's stirring emotions under the surface. This movie is visually stunning, the costumes, the era, the music, all this without being too long. Really well executed. And the story itself, the emotions, loss, mourning, injustice, revenge, hatred, love. Again, remarkable. A good example of what cinema should be, yet rarely is. If it matters, I'm French.

I watched Au Revoir Là-Haut (See You Up There for the English title) followed by Adieu Les Cons (Bye Bye Morons for the English title), both movies by writer/director Albert Dupontel, in which he also plays the major role. I can only say I'm a fan from now on. Au Revoir Là-Haut has a very artistic touch in the story, which made it very enjoyable to watch. It's just a special movie, something different from the rest, with an interesting engaging story, all well written, but also very well acted and that from the whole cast. It clearly deserves it's high rating on here. I can't see what people could dislike about this movie. It's certainly one of the better French movies I watched this decennia. You can't really compare it to Adieu Les Cons which has a totally different story but you certainly recognize that typical vibe you get from Albert Dupontel.

November 1919. Two survivors of the trenches meet. One, Edouard Péricourt, the son of a good family disfigured during the conflict, is a genius draftsman, the other, Albert Maillard, is a modest accountant. They join forces to set up a war memorial scam. Albert Dupontel became known for his crazy and squeaky comedies, not to everyone's taste. Voluntarily poorly made at the beginning, his biting comedies gradually gained in artistic quality. For example, the film "Neuf mois ferme", which preceded this one, was already distinguished by its elaborate direction and impressive formal finds, which only made the satirical background more abrasive. He does even better with "Au revoir là-haut", a very successful adaptation of Pierre Lemaître's best-selling novel. A dazzling opening sequence, brilliant craftsmanship, a convincing period reconstruction, and high-quality special effects: Albert Dupontel brilliantly confirms that he has become a major filmmaker. What'is great is that being at the helm of a superproduction does mean he renounces his convictions: in this film co-written with Pierre Lemaître, as in others of which he is the sole author, he questions conformism, hypocrisy and authoritarianism while praising, as a good self-respecting anarchist, personal morality and the responsible individual's recourse to his own resources. Dupontel's main target is the self-righteousness of the time (the grandiloquent whining about the dead of 14-18, whose massacre is made up under the more presentable names of heroism and sacrifice) end the least we can say is that he bites home. Through his "sacrilegious heroes," he asks a question to which everyone will answer in their own way: who is more guilty, the two crooks, a gifted artist with a broken face and a crafty entrepreneur forsaken by the authorities, or those who turned hundreds of thousands of young people full of life into cannon fodder? The cast is excellent and without wanting to insult the spirit of the troupe shown by all the actors, we will nevertheless singularize two performances particularly out of the ordinary: Niels Arestrup as a dominating and icy father and Laurent Lafitte, properly terrifying as a sadistic military man who, after the war, turns into a... sadistic civilian. A deserved success, both public and critical, for Albert Dupontel, who has now entered the big league.

Albert Dupontel has directed a cinematic masterpiece, always visual (enjoy the long shots), always surprising details (sometimes funny, sometimes sad, sometimes poetic), lot of cinema references (Jeunet, Welles, Leone, Kubrick, Franju, ...). All characters are important, and the script is suspenseful in their interaction. My two favorite characters are of course Edouard Péricourt and Pradelle (fantastic Laurent Lafitte, he makes me think of John Hodiak). Enjoy.

So different than all the other special effects agenda pushing movies out there. beautiful atmosphere ,full of emotion , wonderful story .hollywood should really learn something from the french. i really don't understand why and how this movie is a low profile one. if you consider if it's worth the time - DEFINITELY ! i enjoyed every minute

This could have easily been a movie directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet, if you consider the style, fashion, atmosphere, directing, acting, editing and so on...I strongly thought about JP Jeunet's UN LONG DIMANCHE DE FIANCAILLES all long this feature, and not because it is related to WW1 and also post war matters. Everything here is connected in a way or another in the Jeunet's film. That's my own opinion. The story itself, based on the Goncourt Prize winner, is rather surprising, unusual at the most. I don't quite remember the ending of the book and this one seems to be different, if you read the other French user comments on Internet. Maybe the ending is different, but the overall spirit of the novel is followed, faithful. Nothing is changed basically spoken. Only details. Some really moving sequences. And in this tale, you have NO totally good and true heroes. You have a real bad ass, a real heavy character, played by Laurent Laffite, as a ruthless and disgusting former assassin officer who killed two of his own men and who makes money on the war victims. The other characters are maybe better than him, but certainly not totally white. Swindlers, cheaters, liars, Dupontel's character himself can make you Dizzy from time to time. Dupontel was pretty lucky to make this high budget stuff for Gaumont productions. A daring topic. Worth watching for sure. Besides, Bertrand Tavernier had already made a film about post WW1 issue concerning dead bodies or unkown corpses business and - or - swindle: LA VIE ET RIEN D'AUTRE. It was in 1989.

I really liked the book and was looking forward to the movie. I find the pace is a bit fast and have had to pause the movie a few tines to explain things to my English speaking friend. I wish the character of the dad in the movie had a bit more depth, like in the book. There are a couple of departures from the book at the end,which are very good. There are some brilliant scenes that are both heart-breaking and funny. Well done.

The good: Beautifully photographed. Nicely scored soundtrack. Surprising plot. Good acting. Warmhearted direction.

Anything bad?: this is a lovely movie, but it is a bit lacking in actor's chemistry: it could have been a more gripping (or dramatic) movie, IF there had been 2 different (more charismatic) actor's in the leading roles. This is just a minor criticism though...

The story: a wonderfully, playful (and also melancholic) tale about the life of an ex-soldier after world war I, who got half his face blown off at the battlefield. How does he cope with life now he can barely speak and has to live behind a face covering mask, in isolation?

I wish I could give it 50 STARS. In my over 70 years of watching movies, this is probably the best of tens of thousands. The sheer enjoyment I felt watching propelled me to buy the book; the book is in a superb English translation and just marvelous.

This movie will restore your faith in movie making, a most wonderful film that was even better second time around. Acting, photography, special effects, music - everything of the highest order. Would I see it for a third time ? Oh yes.

A magnificent story bathed in the poetry of extraordinary sets and costumes.

In addition to a host of brilliant actors, the subject evoked (the smashed faces) is rarely recounted in the cinema.

Albert Dupontel has created a masterpiece.

We loved this french movie. We were glued to our chairs, because every scène of the movie was good. The art, the beleivable caracters, the storyline was surprising. It was cruel, funny, beautiful, entertaining. We loved every bit of it!

I loved this movie. It's touching, funny, sad and whimsical all at once. Very well done in my book, with a very original plot. I saw it in French and read the book, so perhaps something gets lost in the translation to English. But I considered it a true delight.

This is cinema at its best! An evocative and engaging story, beautifully photographed and finely acted. If you see no other movie in 2018, do yourself a favour and see this gem of outstanding artistry.

This movie is very well made, original and touching.Actually not even a black comedy,more like a drama. Amazing roleplay and casting.

Cannot fault this film in any way. An avid filmgoer for 65 years, I can always spot à boo boo, be it a minuscule fault in editing (very annoying and distracting), bad delivery of certain actors (incomprehensible muttering), unnecessary length of film etc etc. This film grasps you from word go and continues until the end, which you're dreading all along to come (am avoiding spoilers !!). Cannot match some of the brilliant and masterful comments made here, but agree with the one which says he/she'd give it 50 stars if they could! Hear hear! (Oh gee, just seen my comment is too short!! So, don't be put off (like I was for several years) by the « odd » affiche promoting the film, it doesn't imo represent the « pitch » at all.

"See You Up There" is a beautiful and deeply moving story. I could not take my eyes off the screen from the first minute until the last scene. Everything about this French masterpiece is simply perfect: music, cinematography, costumes, directing, photography and acting. A must watch!

In one of the last days of the First World War Edouard Péricourt (Nahuel Perez Biscayart) gets his face seriously disfigured in saving his fellow soldier Albert Maillard (Albert Dupontel). The two of them were sent on a senseless mission, aiming above all at a promotion for their commanding officer Pradelle (Laurent Lafitte).

After the war Pericourt and Maillard keep in touch with each other and start a trade / scam in War memorials. Ultimately this will bring them in to contact again with Pradelle, who in his turn scams with war graves.

Films about the First World War are still outnumbered by those about the Second World War, but they are no longer exceptional. After classical movies such as "All quiet on the Western front" (1930, Lewis Milestone) and "Paths of glory" (1957, Stanley Kubrick) the First World War became again a subject from 2014 (centenary commemoration of the start of the war) onwards. Recent films about the First World War are "They shall not grow old" (2018, Peter Jackson) and "1917" (2019, Sam Mendes).

"Au revoir là haut" plays for the biggest part in the aftermath of the First World War. In this respect one may be tempted to see it as the counterpart of the Second World War movie "The best years of our lives" (1946, William Wyler) In my opinion this is not the right comparison. "The best years of our lives" is a serious movie while "Au revoir là haut" is rather absurdist. Maybe a better comparison is with "La vitta è bella" (1997, Roberto Benigni), a film trying to combine the Second World War with the comedy genre.

In 1997 this led to much commotion, in 2017 much less so. The passing of twenty years has apparently reduced the sensitivity surrounding the two World Wars. Keep however in mind that in France the sensitivity surrouding the First World War (la Grande Guerre) is no less than that surrounding the Second World War.

Last but not least, there is a father - son theme hidden in this comedy / war film. Because of his mutilation Edouard Pericourt cuts the family ties after the war. "Between the lines" you can however also "read" that the combination banker (father) and artist (son) was not a lucky one before the war. At the end of the film father and son reunite. This side plot made me think of the Dutch film "Karakter" (1997, Mike van Diem), although in this film the father - son relationship is the main theme.

"SEE YOU UP THERE is, more than anything, a reverberant slap on the face of militarism, warmongering and the patriarchal Establishment. Edouard wastes all his life rebelling against his distant, uncaring father, the fount of all his suffering and misery, all mounts to a reunion that culminates with a tearful Marcel finally embracing his long-lost son, a sentimentally powerful moment, only to be trounced by Edouard's final leap of rebellion, a beatific farewell and a thoroughgoing rebuff to that belated paternal remorse and elation, Marcel doesn't deserve salvation and Edouard utilizes himself as a final blow to ascertain that doesn't happen. Plus, by arranging Albert as the film's narrator and POV, the film evokes a strong Proustian sensibility in its seriocomic vein."

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