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A New Life

A New Life

Drama · 2002

A young American drifts through a decaying Eastern European city, where his fixation on an elusive woman pulls him deeper into an underworld fueled by possession.

Movie details

A New Life

“Are you ready?”

2002 Drama 1h 42m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.9 / 10

Community rating

A young American drifts through a decaying Eastern European city, where his fixation on an elusive woman pulls him deeper into an underworld fueled by possession.

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 A New Life?

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.

Promises

Promises

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Street Flow 2

Street Flow 2

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Struggling to overcome cycles of betrayal, revenge and violence, the Traoré brothers continue to fight for a brighter future in a seedy Paris suburb.

Street Flow 3

Street Flow 3

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Grieving and facing the consequences of their crimes, the Traoré brothers get one last chance to forge a new path.

Only the Animals

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Following the disappearance of the glamorous and secretive Evelyne Ducat during a blizzard in the highlands of southern France, the lives of five people inextricably linked to Evelyne are brought together to devastating effect as the local police investigate the case.

The Young One

The Young One

Drama · 1960

A jazz musician seeks refuge from a lynch mob on a remote island, where he meets a hostile game warden and the young object of his attentions.

Imperial Dreams

Imperial Dreams

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A 21-year-old reformed gangster's devotion to his family and his future is put to the test when he is released from prison and returns to his old stomping grounds in Watts, Los Angeles.

Kompromat

Kompromat

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Mathieu, a member of the French institute in Irkutsk, is arrested overnight by the Russian authorities. Imprisoned and accused of sexual abuse on his own daughter, he realises he is a victim of a Kompromat. With the help of the FSB, someone has built up a case to frame him. Isolated, he has no one to turn to. Proving his innocence is impossible: the only solution is to escape.

The Trials of Cate McCall

The Trials of Cate McCall

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In order to be reinstated to the bar and recover custody of her daughter, a hotshot lawyer, now in recovery and on probation, must take on the appeal of a woman wrongfully convicted of murder.

All Day and a Night

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While serving life in prison, a young man looks back at the people, the circumstances and the system that set him on the path toward his crime.

Where it lives

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Philippe Grandrieux

Written by

Philippe Grandrieux · Eric Vuillard

Zachary Knighton

Zachary Knighton

Seymour

Anna Mouglalis

Anna Mouglalis

Melania

Marc Barbé

Marc Barbé

Roscoe

Zsolt Nagy

Zsolt Nagy

Boyan

R

Raoul Dantec

The French Man

V

Vladimir Zintov

Hired Man

Georgi Kadurin

Georgi Kadurin

The Sad Man

Court is in session

Put A New Life on trial.

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

The defence The Prestige Tourist

“Ambition earns the room.”

The film reaches for consequence and scale, accepting the risk of seriousness instead of shrinking from it.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“Importance has entered the chat.”

The production keeps announcing its significance, as though awards-season posture were proof of insight.