Judith Henry Movies

Love becomes a family affair during a trip abroad in this sunny comedy from France. Albert (Jean-Pierre Darroussin) is a bright but socially inept librarian who has partial custody of his teenage daughter Jeanne (Anais Demoustier), whose mother divorced him years ago. Each summer, Albert takes Jeanne on a vacation with him to a different country; while the trips are intended to be her birthday present, it's clear to everyone but Albert that she'd just as soon not be bothered. As Jeanne is about to turn seventeen, Albert packs her off to join him in a voyage to Sweden, where he hopes to find valuable Viking artifacts with his metal detector, while she would prefer to have fun on her own. Albert and Jeanne end up sharing a vacation house with two women, Annika (Lia Boysen) and Christine (Judith Henry), and while Albert seems a bit intimidated by his new roommates, Jeanne is impressed with their spirited attitude and quickly bonds with them. As Albert pays a visit to a doctor following a minor accident, Jeanne meets a local boy named Johan (Bjorn Gustaffson) and finds herself falling head over heels for him; meanwhile, Christine becomes increasingly attracted to Albert, and Annika is also called on by Cupid when she unexpectedly crosses paths with a former boyfriend. Les Grandes Personnes (aka Grown Ups) was the first feature film from director Anna Novion. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

This French slice-of-life drama follows the laid-back exploits of a small group of people who leave Paris to experience the quiet country life. Lila, a recent ex-con in her twenties, decides to exchange Parisian life for live in the small village where her sister is living. There she meets Benoit, another Paris refugee in his late thirties. Though, not well suited, they fall in love. Both of them carry torches for former loves. Suddenly, Lila leaves; Benoit grieves. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Two losers find an especially bad way to beat the high cost of living in this off-beat comedy from France. Antoine (Francois Cluzet) aspires to write plays, but in the meantime he scrapes together a living writing articles for a martial arts magazine and creating crossword puzzles; he spends his spare time talking with his friend Sylvie (Judith Henry) about the sad state of his love life. His buddy Fred (Guillaume Depardieu), on the other hand, doesn't do much of anything; on those rare occasions when he rises from the couch, it's to plot new schemes to pick up women, which are usually doomed to failure. However, this routine is shattered when Antoine and Fred discover that their apartment is being sold and they need to come up with some money to get a new flat. With little cash on hand and few prospects, Antoine gets an idea: rob the offices of the magazine for which he's been writing. Co-star Guillaume Depardieu is the son of French superstar Gérard Depardieu. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Claude Berri's angry, ambitious epic, based on the 19th-century novel by Emile Zola, re-creates, as does the novel, the gut-wrenching poverty and the intense day-by-day struggles of striking French coal-miners in 1884 at the Voreux mines of France. The film centers upon the bitter toils of Maheu (Gerard Depardieu) and his family -- consisting of his iron-willed wife (Miou-Miou) and their daughter Catherine (Judith Henry), who also works in the mines. When a new miner, Etienne Lantier (Renaud), comes to Voreux to seek work, he is befriended by Maheu, who takes him on his mining crew and allows him to stay at his home. Etienne is also an organizer for a new miner's union and, as conditions in the Voreux mines worsen, Etienne convinces Maheu to organize a miner's strike. Meanwhile, Etienne is attracted to Catherine, and Catherine to him, but she doesn't act upon her feelings, taking up, instead, with Chaval (Jean-Roger Milo), a local ne'er do well. As conditions in the mines become more desperate and unsafe, and the owners propose to cut wages, Maheu at last stages a massive strike of the miners. When that happens, the owners send in armed soldiers to defend the mines. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide

When the arrogant, womanizing narrator, Antoine (Fabrice Luchini), goes to meet his girlfriend, Solange (Marie Bunel) at the train station, he's dismayed to find her with another man. Antoine tells us that this is a first. He is always the one to end his relationships with women. Antoine visits his elderly friend, Jean (Maurice Garrel), a book dealer, and tells him that he wants revenge, but he doesn't have the imagination to come up with a plan. Eventually, Jean tells Antoine that he knows a publisher who's interested in publishing a series of diaries. He suggests that to get his revenge, not just on Solange but on all women, Antoine should get another woman to fall completely in love with him and then dump her, while keeping a detailed journal about the affair. Antoine agrees, placing an ad for a typist to meet someone. Catherine (Judith Henry) responds to the ad. Antoine is initially repulsed by Catherine, but Jean pushes him to pursue her, saying Antoine's lack of interest will make the story even more interesting. Antoine assents, on the condition that Jean tell him exactly how to proceed. Antoine follows Jean's advice. Catherine resists his advances at first, and as Antoine gets to know her, he finds himself becoming more and more attracted to her. La Discrete won Cesar Awards for Best First Work, Best Writing, and Most Promising Actress (Henry). It also won the FIPRESCI Award at the 1990 Venice Film Festival. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide

The conflict in question is World War II; even though hostilities have all but ceased, the Germans and the French are not precisely reconciled. German soldier Richard Bohlinger, absent without leave, is befriended by a couple of pre-teen boys (Antoine and Julien Hubert, sons of director Jean-Louis Hubert). Despite the fact that they seem to have found a lasting peace, the adult world doesn't see things the boys' way, and Bohlinger is put to death. Apres le Guerre is the second felicitous collaboration between director Hubert and veteran character-actor Richard Bohlinger; the first was the popular Le Grand Chemin. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide