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Playground

Name: Playground
Genre: Drama
Released: 2021-10-20
Cast: Maya Vanderbeque, Günter Duret, Elsa Laforge, Lena Girard Voss, Simon Caudry

2021 | 72 min | Drama

Sunday Safe Betearly rating

Why it’s a Sunday Safe Bet

Critics loved it (100% 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 12 min.
What might put you off: It's in French, so expect subtitles (or a dub).
Audiences were cooler on it than critics.

When Nora witnesses Abel being bullied by other kids, she rushes to protect him by warning their father. But Abel forces her to remain silent. Caught in a conflict of loyalty, Nora will ultimately try to find her place, torn between children's and adult's worlds.

How it earned its rating

CriticsVery strong
100% on Rotten Tomatoes, 86 on Metacritic
AudiencesSolid
7.1 out of 10
AwardsSolid
Won 1 Cannes award: Cannes Film Festival: Best Film. Plus 9 other awards.
Reach & staying powerBelow par
Streaming release that reached a small audience so far; still draws a steady audience long after release
Buzz & cultural impactWeak
About 25K people sought it out in the past year

Trailer

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Cast & crew

Directed by Laura Wandel

Maya VanderbequeNora
Günter DuretAbel
Elsa LaforgeVictoire
Lena Girard VossClémence
Simon CaudryAntione
Thao MaertenDavid
James SeguyMalik
Naël AmmamaIsmaël
Emile SalamoneMatteo
Laura VerlindenAgnes