Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- None
- caustic
- irreverent
- melancholic
- late night arthouse viewing
- bittersweet movie night
What critics said
Critics broadly found the adaptation uneven but smartly written, with Michelle Pfeiffer's caustic and vulnerable performance providing its strongest source of entertainment and emotional connection.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Frances and her social circle navigate wealth, affectation, and decline through caustic, theatrical humor.
Frances's flight to Paris forces directionless Malcolm into an intimate, unstable dependence on his mother.
Small Frank may embody the spirit of Frances's deceased husband, creating uncertainty between the ordinary and supernatural.
Frances liquidates her possessions and retreats from Manhattan society after her inheritance disappears.
Films like French Exit, and why
The Favourite
caustic social satire, eccentric wealth, and a strong central performance balancing comedy with melancholy
The Squid and the Whale
bittersweet family dysfunction, dry humor, and emotionally guarded characters in an offbeat literary style
The Lobster
surreal dark comedy, privileged characters, and mortality themes treated with theatrical wit
The Royal Tenenbaums
eccentric mother-son dynamics, financial decline, and sharp comedy shaded by sadness
Movie Details
- Director
- Azazel Jacobs
- Release Date
- 2021-02-12
- Runtime
- 113 min
- Rating
- 5.6 / 10 (178)
Cast
- Michelle Pfeiffer
- Lucas Hedges
- Tracy Letts
- Valerie Mahaffey
- Susan Coyne
- Imogen Poots
- Danielle Macdonald
- Isaach de Bankolé
- Daniel Di Tomasso
- Eddie Holland
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 French Exit about?
- A penniless Manhattan socialite retreats to Paris with her aimless son and a possibly reincarnated cat in a caustic, melancholy comedy of wealth and mortality.
- What is French Exit like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of French Exit as measured, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as layered.
- Is French Exit violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in French Exit.
- What did critics think of French Exit?
- Critics broadly found the adaptation uneven but smartly written, with Michelle Pfeiffer's caustic and vulnerable performance providing its strongest source of entertainment and emotional connection.
- Which films are like French Exit?
- Films with a similar feel include The Favourite, The Squid and the Whale, The Lobster, and The Royal Tenenbaums.
- How long is French Exit?
- French Exit runs 113 minutes.
- Where can I watch French Exit?
- In United States, French Exit is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
