Vagabond
Seen it?1985 | 106 min | Drama
Sunday Safe BetWhy it’s a Sunday Safe Bet
Critics loved it (100% on Rotten Tomatoes), though it had 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 46 min.
- What might put you off
- It's in French, so expect subtitles (or a dub).
- Audiences were cooler on it than critics.
Mona Bergeron is dead, her frozen body found in a ditch in the French countryside. From this, the film flashes back to the weeks leading up to her death. Through these flashbacks, Mona gradually declines as she travels from place to place, taking odd jobs and staying with whomever will offer her a place to sleep. Mona is fiercely independent, craving freedom over comfort, but it is this desire to be free that will eventually lead to her demise.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsVery strong
100% on Rotten Tomatoes
- AudiencesSolid
7.4 out of 10
- AwardsSolid
Won 1 Venice award: Venice Film Festival: Best Foreign Actress. Plus 6 other awards.
- Box office & staying powerBelow par
$8 million worldwide; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactSolid
About 51K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
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Cast & crew
Directed by Agnès Varda
- Sandrine BonnaireMona Bergeron
- Macha MérilMadame Landier
- Yolande MoreauYolande
- Stéphane FreissJean-Pierre
- Setti RamdaneThe Moroccan Who Discovers Mona
- Yahiaoui AssounaAssoun
- Marthe JarniasOld Aunt Lydie
- Francis BalchèreGendarmerie
- Jean-Louis PerlettiGendarmerie
- Urbain CausseFarmer Interviewed