A Little Romance | Rotten Tomatoes

A Little Romance

PG

Released Apr 27, 1979

1 hr. 48 min.

Romance

Comedy

List

72%

29 Reviews

Tomatometer

85%

5,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

Intellectually precocious teenager Lauren King (Diane Lane) lives in Paris with her somewhat ditzy mother (Sally Kellerman). On a movie set, she strikes up a friendship with teenage film buff Daniel Michon (Thelonious Bernard). After Lauren's mother forbids her to date the outspoken Daniel, the young lovebirds team up with eccentric pickpocket Julius (Laurence Olivier) to run away to Venice, where, according to legend, a couple who kiss under the Bridge of Sighs will stay together forever.

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Scott W

Didn't finish. Like the cast. Not sure the movie dates well

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

06/07/23

Full Review

PsychicJuliana S

Engaging film from the start. You get to the point you are rooting for these two young people to make it to Bridge of Sighs with the bells tolling. They fight against every odd they face to make it happen. Lawrence Oliver is spectacular, as the man who see's love and is on their side. One of those movies you will watch again, when you see it pop up on your screen.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

Rob G

My rating is part nostalgia but I fell in love with Diane Lane as a pre-teen watching this. Beautiful story of first love. Great acting and score as well. I wanted to know if this stood the test of time so I watched with my current 13 year old and she loved it so seems to hold up for today's generation.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/31/24

Full Review

matthew d

A short and sweet chance encounter. George Roy Hill directed another classic with his endearing coming of age romance drama A Little Romance (1979). George Roy Hill's direction is fantastic as you get to see this young couple meet and go on realistic dates despite their income inequality and genius level IQs with a sincere love of poetic romance itself. George Roy Hill's direction is so fantastic because his films capture a sense of nostalgia for the past, hope for the future, and appreciation for each living moment in life. A Little Romance is one such film that has all these attributes with a heartfelt message of being true to yourself and kind to your lover. We get a trip all around Paris, Verona, and Venice throughout A Little Romance. All the elaborate sets and real historical sites are a wonderful added bit of romantic atmosphere to Hill's already charming picture alongside Francois de Lamothe's stylish art direction. Pierre-William Glenn's cinematography has numerous amazing wide shots and many dreamy close-ups that feel right out of a French New Wave arthouse feature. Georges Delerue's classical score is absolutely gorgeous and lush with a romantic mood. A Little Romance is truly one of his best films and certainly underrated among his essential filmography. Claude Kotz and Allan Burns' story about a teenage boy and girl's chance brief encounter results in a whirlwind love affair of gentle affections and heavy discourse about love, philosophy, and mathematics of all things. It's funny that both are intellectuals and the difference in their financial situations and freedom weighs heavily on the situation, but A Little Romance offers you genuine warmth and human understanding as these two connect in Paris. William Reynolds' editing is relaxed with few cuts in the middle of a scene, so that you really feel like you're there with these two lovers. A Little Romance is very short with a cool 108 minute run-time that feels like half that by the end. Diane Lane delivers one of the greatest child actress performances I've ever seen with her effortlessly elegant and endearing role as Lauren King in A Little Romance. Her quick wits, intimate loving attitude, youthful perspective, and sharp mind make for a unique romantic leading lady. She very fun and flawlessly spouts French like it was her first language I might add. Alongside her is the brusque French boy Thelonious Bernard with his short temper, little patience, and genuine love for Robert Redford, Paul Newman, and Humphrey Bogart. Through him, George Roy Hill gets to splice in footage from his classics Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid as well as The Sting for some cute laughs. Bernard is a precocious French kid, but he's so real and forward that you cannot help but like him at first. It's a better love story than Love Story. I must mention Sir Laurence Olivier's hilarious performance full of playful camp and gentle tenderness as the elderly man of endless stories named Julius. He feigns surprise and rambles incessantly about these old life stories of Julius' that are all fun to hear. I like how he acts with these two child actors as if they're full adults worth speaking to like any other intellectual. A Little Romance contains one of Olivier's best roles later in his career. Arthur Hill is nice as Diane Lane's third father figure. Sally Kellerman is perfectly cast as the floozy wife with a hypocritical nature and intense snobbery. She is aptly insufferable. Broderick Crawford cameos as the forgetful actor Brod. Then, David Dukes is absolutely loathsome as the sleazy director, who George Roy Hill gets to poke fun at grotesque directors in Hollywood and abroad. In conclusion, A Little Romance is a joy to watch with a sweet romance drama story in Paris and plenty of laughs along the way to Venice.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

steve d

Emphasis on the "little"

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

william k

Likable, nicely made, but cutesy romantic comedy; Olivier's smirking performance, however, is a welcome distraction.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

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George Roy Hill

Director

Laurence Olivier

Julius

Diane Lane

Lauren King

Thelonious Bernard

Daniel Michon

Arthur Hill

Richard King

Sally Kellerman

Kay King

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Judith Martin

Washington Post

The intentional comedy in the film always seems on the verge of working, but then is quickly bludgeoned to death.

May 9, 2017

Full Review

Frank Rich

TIME Magazine

The film's portrait of young love may be touching, but its most moving moments celebrate love of a different kind: the passion that movie professionals, both young and old, have for their craft.

Sep 22, 2015

Full Review

Gary Arnold

Washington Post

Thanks to the heavy synthetic hand of director George Roy Hill, the potentially charming aspects of th kids' infatuation curdle into syrupy gruel.

Sep 22, 2015

Full Review

Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

What you get is a pleasant rebellious teen film.

Rated: B-

Apr 13, 2023

Full Review

Rachel Wagner

Rachel's Reviews (YouTube)

A sweet endearing tale of teen love

Jun 10, 2020

Full Review

Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

An absolutely delightful teen romance.

Rated: 3.5/4

Mar 5, 2020

Full Review

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Synopsis

Intellectually precocious teenager Lauren King (Diane Lane) lives in Paris with her somewhat ditzy mother (Sally Kellerman). On a movie set, she strikes up a friendship with teenage film buff Daniel Michon (Thelonious Bernard). After Lauren's mother forbids her to date the outspoken Daniel, the young lovebirds team up with eccentric pickpocket Julius (Laurence Olivier) to run away to Venice, where, according to legend, a couple who kiss under the Bridge of Sighs will stay together forever.

Director: George Roy Hill
Distributor: Orion Pictures
Production Co: Pan Arts Productions
Rating: PG
Genre: Romance, Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 27, 1979, Original
Release Date (DVD): Jan 7, 2003

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