Joyeux Noel (2006)

Absolutely Fantastic

It’s an especially fun movie from a director and cast who are clearly having a good time allowing themselves to let loose.

If you like to be scared, if you like to laugh, and if you like to learn a thing or two at the movies, this absolutely cannot be missed.

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

Let's admit it, we're a rather conflict-loving and aggressive species, willing to spill the blood of our own about any kind of disagreement, however ridiculous. Yet sometimes the matters dividing us yield to the matters uniting.Apparently, that was the case on the Christmas Eve of 1914 somewhere along the front lines of the World War I. Only several months into the course of war, still not entirely broken with its horrors and each other's monstrosity, with the first chemical weapon attacks still to come, people could still view that war as a giant game their nations decided to play, without investing their personal hatred into it. Consider all that, the likelihood of cultural tastes and of religious background, and the Christmas spirit itself - and you would realize that the true events behind the story of Joyeux Noel are much more likely than it would seem at first.This film does avoid the sharp edges here and there, making the story of fraternization among the enemy troops almost inevitable. The officers conveniently know each other's language and have personal motives for softening up towards the enemy, the common soldiers have snacks and booze to exchange, there's even a cat that loves to cross the front line and is beloved on the both sides.But don't let yourself be fooled by this seeming easiness. This is still war, and at no time you might expect people to just drop their weapons and start dancing and singing and hippie loving each other. Even in the most peaceful moments there's some unspoken tension, and there are still people who take things personally and for whom the war has already taken its toll. And that shaky balance between the humanity of you as a person and the duty imposed on you as a soldier is something that Joyeux Noel conveys beautifully.Yet while you are watching this film, you can't help coming back to the same thought over and over again. If there were no orders from above, would those people actually fight each other? Do the common soldiers feel the need to do it, the need to destroy and to kill? And it makes you realize how different the world was a century ago, when Europe was still mostly monarchical and deeply connected from within, with the Kaiser and the Russian Emperor cousins, with no ever-reaching propaganda we have today. That was still the time when the ideological differences might be a major concern somewhere in the higher cabinets, but for the regular people the only major difference was the language - the rest was the same. That implicit unity was destroyed in the flames of two world wars, and then painfully rebuilt. So Europe's been lucky to become the place where wars don't make sense anymore. And that sentiment, "there's no reason to make war on someone who's exactly like you", is probably the most universally understood anti-military recipe our civilization ever created. And at times when war is such a profitable business for some, it's the films like Joyeux Noel that help us not to fall for the agenda of bloodthirstiness again.

After doing some recent research on WWI, for a history course, I came across a certain movie that represents a concept far away from what defined this war. This movie by the name of Joyeux Noel is French for Merry Christmas. It is based on an event that is not taught in the textbooks we read in school. Matter of fact, before seeing this movie I did not believe that events like this were even possible. Rather than this movie being consumed with the violence and devastation of World War I, this movie is revolved around the events that took place in the trenches during the season of Christmas. In my evaluation I will include the overall plot, as well as my opinion on certain scenes from the movie. Just like World War I, Joyeux Noel involves soldiers representing the Central Powers: Germany and Prussia, as well as the Allied Powers: France, England, and Switzerland. Even though these Powers were supposed to be enemies, they came to a realization on Christmas Eve. They realized it was not exactly appropriate to allow acts of war during this day known to represent, peace, love, and joy. On a quiet and still Christmas Eve night, a German soldier began to sing 'Stille Nacht', the German translation of 'Silent Night', soon each group of soldiers joins in on the song and before you know it the men are all assembled together out in the open land unarmed. They share champagne with one another, stories about their families, songs, and possessions. The soldiers, generals, and all decided Christmas would be the one day for them to put their differences aside and celebrate together. Prepare yourself, because this entire movie is not entirely spoken in English, the characters speak in French, German, and Latin as well. I love that the directors chose to do this because it allows the movie to be a true representation of the people involved in this event along with the languages that they spoke. I am someone who is actually quite fond of foreign movies as well as TV shows, so I don't mind the subtitles much. There's not too much action in this movie, so I believe that the subtitles don't take away from the visual aspect of the movie. Like every movie, there were things I thought the makers could have improved upon. In the beginning of the movie, when they introduced the countries that were represented in the war, I was not entirely clear on which uniforms and emblems belonged to which country. Some of the uniforms as well as characters looked pretty similar, so it was not until the men came together that I was able to differentiate the groups. Another thing, that I was most disappointed about, was how the story concluded. I loved the story line very much, but I believe that there was a better way to sum up the plot altogether. The movie ended in a way that made me think, was there just not enough information provided to be able to come up with a more complex ending? Right after we were given the chance to see this wonderful reunion and celebration between these ferocious enemies, the movie transitioned right into the ending scene where each group of soldiers left on a train to go their separate ways. That was it. Once the credits began to roll up on the screen, I was slightly confused because just like any movie viewer, I had gotten to know these characters and wanted to know what the rest of their lives consisted of. I would have been just fine with a few descriptions about the main characters and the lives they lived throughout the rest of the war. I believe that these were very minor issues and as a whole I thought the movie was depicted well and left me with a hopeful feeling. My favorite scene from the movie is the moment where the soldiers are together laughing and celebrating with each other. This particular scene is what I believe to be the director's proudest moment. I was given a completely different perspective on World War I. I relate this event, which happened over one hundred years ago, to the many unfortunate situations we have faced in the world since then. Even though many devastating events continue to happen on a daily basis, Joyeux Noel's Christmas scene made me hopeful for humanity, because even in the darkest moments of war, people were still able to recognize the joy and peace of this blessed day. This particular movie regarding World War I was probably the best one for me to see. I typically have a hard time watching war movies, mainly because I disagree with the violence that comes with war, but this story did its best to stray away from the typical violence in your average war movie. Joyeux Noel was an excellent movie. I would give this movie nine out of ten stars. I thought it was cast well and every component involved did a job well done when it came to tugging at the heartstrings.

1. A truly powerful and must see film about the futility of war.2. It depicts that whatever those in power would have us believe there are more similarities between various nationalities than differences.3. Wonderful performances by many little known actors.4. First class cinematography and other production values.5. Illustrates that there can be no war if if if you have no enemy. It is impossible to kill a man with whom you have shared drinks and stories and grown to like6. Wonderful music and singing as those who have suffered and fought each other in the trenches slowly gather to mark Christmas Eve by drinking and talking with each other, swapping addresses, singing Christmas carols common to all three nations (Germany, France and Scotland), burying frozen corpses and playing soccer together.7. Not perfectly historically accurate but very close to an actual incident, A vivid illustration of the foolishness of war. While some have laid the blame at the feet it is clear that the primary blame lays with those who order others to go to war while safely enjoying the better of things far from the trenches

Joyeux Noel seemed like an ideal seasonal movie. Already in the Christmas spirit I ventured to watch it, and finished the film with a feeling of hope and tears down my face. It is an incredibly moving film, with a subject matter that anyone would identify with, which is explored intelligently and broodingly here. The cinematography, lighting, costumes and settings are appropriately moody yet very beautifully done, the script is emotionally complex and never overly-preachy and the story is compelling and moved and haunted me a long while after. The characters are believable, no offensive stereotypes or clichés as such here, and the cast particularly Diana Kruger give dynamic performances. And I have to mention the soundtrack, simply divine and one of the best I've heard recently. Oh and for fans of Natalie Dessay and Rolando Villazon, they sing here, and wonderfully might I add, very understated and fitting with not a too original interpretation or over-tensed note in sight. In conclusion, a treasure. 10/10 Bethany Cox