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Poster for The Barbarian Invasions

The Barbarian Invasions

Seen it?

2003 | 99 min | Comedy, Drama

Saturday Special

Why it’s a Saturday Special

It won an Oscar, it earned strong reviews (81% on Rotten Tomatoes) and it made about 4 times its budget, despite little lasting buzz. A strong pick for the weekend.

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

Is it for you?

Who'll love it
Made for anyone who wants a laugh. If you loved A Man Called Otto, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
The mood
Funny with heart.
The pace
Takes its time with its characters, at 1 hr 39 min.
What might put you off
It's in French, so expect subtitles (or a dub).

In this belated sequel to 'The Decline of the American Empire', middle-aged Montreal college professor, Remy, learns that he is dying of liver cancer. His ex-wife, Louise, asks their estranged son, Sebastian, a successful businessman living in London, to come home. Sebastian makes the impossible happen, using his contacts and disrupting the Canadian healthcare system in every way possible to help his father fight his terminal illness to the bitter end, while reuniting some of Remy's old friends, including Pierre, Alain, Dominique, Diane, and Claude, who return to see their friend before he passes on.

How it earned its rating

  • CriticsStrong

    81% on Rotten Tomatoes, 70 on Metacritic

  • AudiencesSolid

    7.0 out of 10

  • AwardsVery strong

    Won 1 Oscar: Academy Awards: Best Foreign Language Film. Won 1 Critics' Choice Award: Critics' Choice Awards: Best Foreign Language Film. Won 2 Cannes awards: Cannes Film Festival: Best Screenplay, Cannes Film Festival: Best Actress. Also nominated for 1 more Oscar, 1 Golden Globe and 2 BAFTAs. Plus 24 other awards.

  • Box office & staying powerStrong

    $35 million worldwide on a $8 million budget; still draws a steady audience long after release

  • Buzz & cultural impactBelow par

    About 31K people sought it out in the past year

Trailer

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Cast & crew

Directed by Denys Arcand

  • Rémy GirardRémy
  • Stéphane RousseauSébastien
  • Marie-Josée CrozeNathalie
  • Dorothée BerrymanLouise
  • Louise PortalDiane Leonard
  • Dominique MichelDominique St. Arnaud
  • Pierre CurziPierre Citrouillard
  • Yves JacquesClaude
  • Marina HandsGaëlle
  • Sophie LorainFirst Lover