Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- witty
- elegant
- unsettling
- quiet evening
- arthouse movie night
What critics said
Critics generally found the film sophisticated and witty in its examination of bourgeois hypocrisy and intergenerational guilt, though less substantial and less assured than Chabrol's finest work.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
A World War II death and a later election-night death collapse temporal distance, while Aunt Line's memories keep the family past active.
The campaign, business life, adultery, incestuous desire, and family scandal all unfold beneath a polished provincial image.
The circulating leaflet initially suggests a conventional family mystery before the film turns toward intergenerational guilt and social history.
François and Michèle's romance is framed by their step-sibling relationship, family history, and the suggestion that older wounds remain embedded in the household.
Films like The Flower of Evil, and why
Cousin Cousine
bourgeois family secrets, moral hypocrisy, and elegant psychological suspense
The Ceremony
French bourgeois scandal, repressed history, and darkly ironic ensemble drama
The Unfaithful Wife
domestic suspicion, hidden guilt, and refined social satire in a slow-burning thriller
Movie Details
- Director
- Claude Chabrol
- Release Date
- 2003-02-09
- Runtime
- 104 min
- Rating
- 6.1 / 10 (86)
Cast
- Nathalie Baye
- Benoît Magimel
- Suzanne Flon
- Bernard Le Coq
- Thomas Chabrol
- Mélanie Doutey
- Henri Attal
- Kevin Ahyi
- Françoise Bertin
- Jérôme Bertin
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Google Play Movies, YouTube
- Buy
- Google Play Movies, YouTube
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Flower of Evil about?
- A polished provincial family’s election campaign becomes a darkly witty excavation of inherited guilt, forbidden desire, and buried violence.
- What is The Flower of Evil like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Flower of Evil as measured, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as layered.
- Is The Flower of Evil violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in The Flower of Evil as mild.
- What did critics think of The Flower of Evil?
- Critics generally found the film sophisticated and witty in its examination of bourgeois hypocrisy and intergenerational guilt, though less substantial and less assured than Chabrol's finest work.
- Which films are like The Flower of Evil?
- Films with a similar feel include Cousin Cousine, The Ceremony, and The Unfaithful Wife.
- How long is The Flower of Evil?
- The Flower of Evil runs 104 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Flower of Evil?
- In United States, The Flower of Evil is available to rent or buy from Google Play Movies, YouTube.
