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Germinal

Germinal

Drama · Romance · 1993

It's mid 19th century, north of France. The story of a coal miner's town. They are exploited by the mine's owner. One day the decide to go on strike, and then the authorities repress them.

Movie details

Germinal

“Who needs God and Heaven? We can change this lousy world.”

1993 Drama · Romance 2h 40m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.7 / 10

Community rating

It's mid 19th century, north of France. The story of a coal miner's town. They are exploited by the mine's owner. One day the decide to go on strike, and then the authorities repress them.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Germinal?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Claude Berri

Written by

Arlette Langmann · Claude Berri

Miou-Miou

Miou-Miou

'La Maheude'

Renaud

Renaud

Étienne Lantier

Jean Carmet

Jean Carmet

Vincent Maheu, aka Bonnemort

Judith Henry

Judith Henry

Catherine Maheu

Jean-Roger Milo

Jean-Roger Milo

Antoine Chaval

Gérard Depardieu

Gérard Depardieu

Toussaint Maheu

Laurent Terzieff

Laurent Terzieff

Souvarine

Court is in session

Put Germinal on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Prestige Tourist

“Sincerity is not manipulation.”

The film risks embarrassment to make emotion communal, and that openness is harder than fashionable detachment.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“The strings are showing.”

Every cue tells you exactly what to feel and when, leaving sentiment to do the work character should have done.