Customer Reviews
A..E..I..O..U have to watch this movie. 
2008-06-15
If there was ever a film that illustrated how anyone's life can change dramatically in a matter of seconds, or how perseverance is possible even in the face of the most extreme limitations one could face, this is it. The main character is completely paralyzed aside from his left eye, for the majority of the film, yet still able to get his message across. "The Diving Bell and The Butterfly" is the true story based on the meiors of Jean-Dominique Bauby, a well-known french journalist, author, and editor of 'Elle' magazine, who was left paralyzed after suffering a stroke. He awakes from a three-week coma unable to move, yet the viewer is still told the rest of the story through the eye of Bauby's character, in his world of vision. We hear his thoughts in the voice he was given, but the rest of his words are only told via the pain-staken work of the speach therapists who worked diligently with Bauby as he lay bed ridden. After he is freed from the confines of the hospital, with hired help from Elle, Bauby continues writing the book he had previously planned on writing prior to his stroke. This story is nothing short of inspirational and is one of the most creative points of view I've seen in film. I could never bring myself to complain about a dream involving the lovely Emma De Caunes, only that I wish they had done more with the visions that were outside of Bauby's reality, but besides that, this film is strong, compelling, and definitely delivers a message that should be heard.
Homage to Jean-Dominique Bauby 2008-06-05
An engaging and penetrating adaptation of Jean-Dominique Bauby's brilliant memoir of the same title. Jean-Do was the handsome young editor of Elle magazine, with the house, the car, a beautiful wife and adorable children, and of course, the other woman. While enjoying the accoutrements of the good life he suffers a massive stroke that leaves him paralyzed from head to toe, but for the ability to blink his left eye. He is afflicted with what is termed locked-in syndrome. He retains the faculties of memory and imagination and, with the help of his devoted carers, is able to complete his memoire by blinking yes or no in response to a particular letter of the alphabet. With the aide of a patient scribe, Jean-Do retraces the defining moments of his short life from the fresh perspective of this unique predicament, inside what he metaphorically describes as his diving bell - the world beneath his skin containing all of his subjective thoughts, his reflexive response to what appears real externally, and what he retains of his past. The aesthetic is represented as a butterfly, wandering at will and gracing the things its touches with its ephemeral beauty. He sees the faces of his loved ones: his wife, lover, children, and adorable carers, and appreciates what he has lost - the capacity to fully express his love for them with a gentle embrace. It is a multi layered film that explores the emotional responses of others to Jean-Do's loss as well. This is one of those rare films that can change your way of seeing. I found it profoundly moving and performed by an outstanding cast. The one shame is that Jean-Do hasn't survived to see what beauty his little butterfly is bringing to the world after all.
Excellent film with great direction and perspective 2008-06-04
I had already read the book when I came into the movie. Warning - there ARE subtitles, and it can be VERY blunt at times. It's very interesting because the book takes you through his life and his story through his own eyes only. The movie gives you a perspective that Jean-Do never had...what others saw on the outside. It's very touching and it's hard not to finish watching the movie without tears in your eyes. I recommend reading the book first, then watching the film.
Excellent - Must See 2008-06-04
This one of the best movies I have ever seen, and definatly the best movie to come out in years and years. The extreme emotional depths this film digs to could only be match by such greats as Bergman and other bygone movie geniuses. This movie is far beyond so much of the filmography of today, and anybody who is into art films, human emotional or tradgedy should not miss out on this masterpiece !
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly 2008-06-03
Jean Do Bauby finds himself a parapheligic and gives a view of his life from his locked in syndrome. He finds all he has left are his memories and his imagination after once being the head editor of Elle magazine. It is sad and its inspiring and make you appreciate all you have in life. The film was great but the book better. Its a short read but well worth the time.
Moving exploration of the human spirit 2008-07-20
The true story that inspired this movie is well-known. Jean-Dominque Bauby, the French editor of "Elle" magazine, suffered a massive stroke that left him completely paralyzed with a condition called "Locked-in" syndrome. When he came out of his coma, he had recovered all his mental faculties but was completely paralyzed with the exception of his ability to blink his left eyelid.
His therapist developed a method for him to communicate through blinking and he was able to dictate an entire book in this manner.
I thought this movie might be depressing but it really was not. I found it profoundly uplifting. It took Bauby 200,000 blinks to dictate the book. Each word took two minutes. From the excerpts we hear through Bauby's voice-over, it is extremely beautiful. What a heroic act -- to overcome one's self-pity and face reality in such challenging circumstances.
The movie starts as if the viewer is looking through Bauby's eyes, though it later widens out, and it returns to that at the end. The acting and photography are excellent. The director decided to film the movie in the same hospital where Bauby had been treated so we see the scene he describes from the balcony where they wheel him from time to time.
Mathieu Amalric as Bauby is extraordinary. In the DVD extra material (which I rarely watch but in this case is interesting) he describes how difficult it was to hold himself completely still when he is not in fact paralysed. There are also nice performances from Anne Consigny as the therapist and Emmanuelle Seigner as Bauby's ex-partner and the mother of his three children. Max von Sydow gives a tremendous performance as Bauby's father.
This movie explores what it means to be human and how resilient the human spirit can be. I strongly recommend it.
Life worth living 
2008-07-17
I know that this film is meant to be inspirational, but I found it difficult to watch. It is a story of French magazine "Elle"'s editor who suffers a stroke that leaves him paralized so that only his left eye has any movement. With the help of his physical and speach therapists he learns to communicate by blinking. It is that way of communication that helped him create the book of the same title as this movie. Film explores what it must be for a person to be locked inside his own body. Completely aware of surroundings, conversations taking place, people around and yet unable to talk, move or even blow away the fly that is on his nose while he is helplessly strapped to his therapeutic table. It takes full staff of doctores, therapists, nurses and nursing aides to feed, bathe and care for him around the clock. In spite of the terrible affliction, we have reservations about this man who still seems selfish, sexist, insensitive to women who love him, not around his children enough. But it seems that writing this autobiography was his life's legacy to not only his immediate family but world. Stricken by stroke at age 42 he dies almost a year later only a few days after his book was published. If one has not thought about living will, power of attorney and choices we need to make at the times when something terrible like this happens to any of us, I guarantee that one will start thinking about these things after watching this movie.
One word - WOW! 2008-07-03
Before I knew it, I was already an hour into the movie when I glanced to see how much time had elapsed. This is one movie that deserves all the cliches that are so overused today: Riveting, powerful, moving. I'm not into current movies, but I'm glad I made an exception here because it restores my faith in the filmmaking industry that original movies (or, in this case, adaptations from books) can not only be made, but in a way that keeps you watching and has the experience stay with you.
Shooting the movie from the perspective of the late Jean-Dominique Bauby was beyond brilliant. It wasn't done in a contrived way, but, rather, in a way that you felt you were right there with Bauby in a body that, indeed, became a prison.
Other reviewers on this page have covered just about everything regarding the film, but I will put my hat in the ring and say this is one movie that deserves putting aside almost two hours to watch. Beyond excellent job on the part of everyone associated with this film! - Donna Di Giacomo
Beautiful film 2008-06-30
Beautiful film. I'm grateful the filmmaker decided to go against the original plan to shoot it as an English-language film and instead shoot it in French.
After seeing this true story about the last months of a SEVERELY disabled person, it will be a long time before I complain about the problems in my own life.
An inspiring story.
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly 2008-06-19
This is an awesome story of a man who, rather than give up on life, manages to write his story in a most poetic manner. I should have been sad about his situation, but instead I clapped my hands at his resolve.
