Monday Morning Maybe

Add your email and we'll match picks to the services you stream at home.

Poster for The Lover

The Lover

Seen it?

1992 | 115 min | Drama, Romance

Weeknight Watch

Why it’s a Weeknight Watch

It's still drawing plenty of interest, but middling reviews (28% on Rotten Tomatoes) and soft box office held it back. Fine if it's on; don't plan your night around it.

Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.

Is it for you?

Who'll love it
Made for romantics. If you loved Maurice or Dangerous Liaisons, start here.
The mood
Warm and romantic.
The pace
Takes its time with its characters, at 1 hr 55 min.
What might put you off
  • Rated R: expect sex.
  • It's in French, so expect subtitles (or a dub).

A poor French teenage girl engages in an illicit affair with a wealthy Chinese heir in 1920s Saigon. For the first time in her young life she has control, and she wields it deftly over her besotted lover throughout a series of clandestine meetings and torrid encounters.

How it earned its rating

  • CriticsBelow par

    28% on Rotten Tomatoes, 59 on Metacritic

  • AudiencesSolid

    7.0 out of 10

  • AwardsBelow par

    Nominated for 1 Oscar.

  • Box office & staying powerBelow par

    $5 million worldwide; still draws a steady audience long after release

  • Buzz & cultural impactStrong

    About 172K people sought it out in the past year

Trailer

More like this

Want more like this, picked just for you? Get my picks

Cast & crew

Directed by Jean-Jacques Annaud

  • Jane MarchThe Young Girl
  • Tony Leung Ka-faiThe Chinaman
  • Frédérique MeiningerThe Mother
  • Arnaud GiovaninettiThe Elder Brother
  • Melvil PoupaudThe Younger Brother
  • Lisa FaulknerHelene Lagonelle
  • Jeanne MoreauNarrator (voice)
  • Xiem MangThe Chinaman's Father
  • Philippe Le DemThe French Teacher
  • Ann SchaufussAnne-Marie Stretter