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Poster for The Secret of the Grain

The Secret of the Grain

Seen it?

2007 | 155 min | Drama

Sunday Safe Bet

Why it’s a Sunday Safe Bet

Critics loved it (93% 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. If you loved Mildred Pierce or Michael Clayton, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
The mood
Thoughtful and character-driven.
The pace
Unhurried and epic, at 2 hr 35 min.
What might put you off
  • It's long: 2 hr 35 min.
  • It's in French, so expect subtitles (or a dub).
  • Audiences were cooler on it than critics.

In southern France, a Franco-Arabic shipyard worker along with his partner's daughter pursues his dream of opening a restaurant.

How it earned its rating

  • CriticsVery strong

    93% on Rotten Tomatoes, 83 on Metacritic

  • AudiencesSolid

    7.0 out of 10

  • AwardsBelow par

    Won 1 Venice award: Grand Jury Prize of the Venice Film Festival. Plus 2 other awards.

  • Box office & staying powerBelow par

    $15 million worldwide; still draws a steady audience long after release

  • Buzz & cultural impactWeak

    About 14K people sought it out in the past year

Trailer

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Cast & crew

Directed by Abdellatif Kechiche

  • Habib BoufaresSlimane Beji
  • Hafsia HerziRym
  • Farida BenkhetacheKarima
  • Abdelhamid AktoucheHamid
  • Alice HouriJulia
  • Bouraouïa MarzoukSouad
  • Cyril FavreSerguei
  • Leila D'IssernioLilia
  • Abelkader DjeloulliKader
  • Bruno LochetMario