Overview
A young postman finds himself caught in a deadly game of cat and mouse when a simple mistake leads to a dangerous chase.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Moderate
- stylized
- paranoid
- romantic
- late night cinephile viewing
- opera themed double feature
What critics said
Critics broadly praise the film's inventive visual style, atmospheric Parisian thriller energy, and opera-infused sensibility, while finding its plotting and characterization uneven.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Jules's fixation on Cynthia Hawkins's voice and the illicit concert recording make opera central to the film's visual and thematic identity.
Jules's devotion to Cynthia Hawkins and his unauthorized recording directly place him between competing pursuers.
Paris, the subway, apartments, and night streets are rendered through highly stylized color and expressive production design.
The incriminating cassette is dropped into Jules's mailbag, making his routine delivery job the trigger for the pursuit.
Films like Diva, and why
The Passenger
stylish French thriller driven by music, urban pursuit, and heightened visual design
Betty Blue
romanticized Parisian crime thriller combining obsessive desire, danger, and striking color design
Subway
stylized European crime thriller with young protagonists, mob violence, and kinetic urban atmosphere
The Conversation
music-centered thriller where performance and recording become sources of danger and intrigue
Movie Details
- Director
- Jean-Jacques Beineix
- Release Date
- 1981-03-11
- Runtime
- 117 min
- Rating
- 6.7 / 10 (279)
Cast
- Frédéric Andréi
- Richard Bohringer
- Roland Bertin
- Wilhelmenia Fernandez
- Thuy An Luu
- Chantal Deruaz
- Anny Romand
- Dominique Pinon
- Brigitte Lahaie
- Gérard Darmon
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Diva about?
- A Parisian mailman’s opera obsession turns an accidental cassette delivery into a visually flamboyant race through criminal conspiracies.
- What is Diva like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Diva as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Diva violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Diva as moderate.
- What did critics think of Diva?
- Critics broadly praise the film's inventive visual style, atmospheric Parisian thriller energy, and opera-infused sensibility, while finding its plotting and characterization uneven.
- Which films are like Diva?
- Films with a similar feel include The Passenger, Betty Blue, Subway, and The Conversation.
- How long is Diva?
- Diva runs 117 minutes.
- Where can I watch Diva?
- In United States, Diva is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
