Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Moderate
- absurdist
- deadpan
- macabre
- late night cinephile viewing
- cult film marathon
What critics said
Though initially received as an average French theatrical success, the film has earned lasting cult status for its rigorously absurd contemporary noir and blackly comic vision of solitude and dehumanization.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Murders and investigations occur without customary psychological explanations or moral resolution.
Alphonse, Morvandieu, and the old assassin respond to murder and danger with unnervingly matter-of-fact behavior.
The three central men are linked by proximity and violence yet remain emotionally and socially alienated.
The film presents recognizable crime-film situations while refusing their conventional explanations and consequences.
Films like Buffet Froid, and why
The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie
shares absurdist crime situations, deadpan black humor, and anomie-driven contemporary noir
The Exterminating Angel
shares surreal comedy, existential dislocation, and a world governed by irrational social behavior
After Hours
shares bleak urban absurdism, crime-inflected encounters, and a sharply anti-humanist comic tone
The Tenant
shares French absurdist humor, alienated characters, and dehumanizing modern environments
Movie Details
- Director
- Bertrand Blier
- Release Date
- 1979-12-19
- Runtime
- 93 min
- Rating
- 7.1 / 10 (354)
Cast
- Gérard Depardieu
- Bernard Blier
- Jean Carmet
- Michel Serrault
- Geneviève Page
- Jean Benguigui
- Marco Perrin
- Carole Bouquet
- Bernard Crombey
- Denise Gence
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
- Rent
- Amazon Video
- Buy
- Amazon Video
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Buffet Froid about?
- Three alienated men drift through a murder-haunted city where noir conventions collapse into mordant, existential absurdity.
- What is Buffet Froid like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Buffet Froid as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Buffet Froid violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Buffet Froid as moderate.
- What did critics think of Buffet Froid?
- Though initially received as an average French theatrical success, the film has earned lasting cult status for its rigorously absurd contemporary noir and blackly comic vision of solitude and dehumanization.
- Which films are like Buffet Froid?
- Films with a similar feel include The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie, The Exterminating Angel, After Hours, and The Tenant.
- How long is Buffet Froid?
- Buffet Froid runs 93 minutes.
- Where can I watch Buffet Froid?
- In United States, Buffet Froid streams on Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads.
