Le concile de pierre (2006)

User Rating:

4.9/10   

Director:

Guillaume Nicloux

Writers:

Stéphane Cabel (writer)
Jean-Christophe Grangé (novel)

Release Date:

15 November 2006 (Belgium)

Genre:

Adventure | Crime | Drama | Fantasy | Mystery | Thriller

Plot:

In France, the single translator Diane Siprien adopts an Asian baby named Liu-San in a foundation directed by Sybille Weber...

Plot Keywords:

Scientist | Beautiful Woman | Adopted Son | Female Nudity | Based On Novel

Cast

Monica Bellucci	...	Laura Siprien
Catherine Deneuve	...	Sybille Weber
Moritz Bleibtreu	...	Serguei Makov
Sami Bouajila	...	Lucas
Elsa Zylberstein	...	Clarisse
Nicolas Thau	...	Liu-San
Lorenzo Balducci	...	L'inspecteur Frank Neves
Nicolas Jouhet	...	L'inspecteur Langlois
Peter Bonke	...	Le docteur Vonkel
Tubtchine Bayaertu	...	Barsak Thalik
Laurent Grévill	...	Daguerre
Jerzy Rogulski	...	Le professeur Bruner
Yoshi Oida	...	Kamal
Nikolai Boldaev	...	Ayrag (as Nicolaï Boldaev)
Simona Maicanescu	...	La directrice de l'orphelinat

Also Known As:

Der steinerne Kreis (Germany) (TV title)
Il concilio di pietra (Italy) (literal title)
L'eletto (Italy)
Liu San - Wächter des Lebens (Germany) (DVD title)
The Stone Council (International: English title)

Runtime:

102 min

Country:

France | Italy | Germany

Language:

French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Portugal:M/12 | Finland:K-15 | Argentina:13 | Germany:16 | Australia:MA | Singapore:M18

Filming Locations:

Galerie De Paléontologie Et D'Anatomie Comparée Du Muséum National D'Histoire Naturelle - 2 Rue Buffon, Paris 5, Paris, France

Company:

UGC YM

Watchable

First of all, I do agree with the other comments here that parts of the movie are ludicrous. However, my rating has largely to do with watch-ability, and despite the film's appalling defects, I didn't feel that I couldn't bear to watch more. That's not to say that I was in any way anxious to see the end.

The plot is not particularly intriguing, but I did find the ancient Mongolian ritual idea just a little interesting. Perhaps if you're into mystical stories of nomadic tribes, you might find this movie more than bearable.

I think the best thing about this film was the little boy who played Liu-San. He was adorable and a good young actor. Now here's a little bit of advice: if you want to watch this movie only because you want to see Catherine Deneuve, brilliant as she is, don't. It's hardly worth it. She appears very little and her role is passable at best. Although I watched this film because of her, I found that I wouldn't have been missing much had I passed the opportunity. As for Monica Bellucci, I'd seen her in less than remarkable roles before so I wasn't expecting much. It turns out I was right in doing so.

To sum things up, watch this movie only if you are really bored or are fascinated with Mongolian tribal rituals!