La Promesse
Seen it?1996 | 94 min | Drama
Sunday Safe Betearly ratingWhy it’s a Sunday Safe Bet
Critics loved it (95% on Rotten Tomatoes), though it had almost no lasting buzz and soft box office. A safe bet when you want something reliable.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for anyone who loves a strong drama. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
- The mood
- Thoughtful and character-driven.
- The pace
- Takes its time with its characters, at 1 hr 34 min.
- What might put you off
- It's in French, so expect subtitles (or a dub).
- Audiences were cooler on it than critics.
Igor, aged 15, and his father Roger deal in housing and peddling illicit labor in the outlying districts of Liege, Belgium. Scams, lies and swindling rule their lives. When one of his father’s illegal workers gets injured on the job and asks Igor to promise to take care of his wife and baby, Igor finds himself at a crossroad. He wants to keep the promise, but the price would be to betray his father.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsVery strong
95% on Rotten Tomatoes, 82 on Metacritic
- AudiencesSolid
7.2 out of 10
- AwardsBelow par
2 wins and 3 nominations from smaller awards and festivals
- Box office & staying powerBelow par
$3 million worldwide; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactWeak
About 7K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
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Cast & crew
Directed by Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Luc Dardenne
- Jérémie RenierIgor
- Olivier GourmetRoger
- Assita OuedraogoAssita
- Florian DelainRiri
- Hachemi HaddadNabil
- Rasmané OuédraogoAmidou
- Jean-Michel BalthazarThe Labour Inspector
- Frédéric BodsonThe Garage Boss
- Jean-Paul DermontMuller
- Alain HoltgenThe Postman