Movie · 2009 · Drama, Comedy · 1h 59m · G · French
Curator score: 3.2/10 (19.6K ratings)
The grand deception that became the performance of a lifetime.
Overview
A former world-famous conductor of the Bolshoï orchestra, known as "The Maëstro", Andreï Filipov had seen his career publicly broken by Leonid Brezhnev for hiring Jewish musicians and now works cleaning the concert hall where he once directed. One day, he intercepts an official invitation from the prestigious Théâtre du Châtelet. Through a series of mad antics, he reunites his old orchestra, now composed of old alcoholic musicians, and flies to perform in Paris and complete the Tchaikovsky concerto interrupted 30 years earlier. For the concerto, he engages a young violin soloist with whom he has an unexpected connection.
Ratings
Curator score: 3.2/10
IMDb: 7.5/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 61%
Metacritic: 60
TMDB: 7.2/10
Director
Radu Mihăileanu
Production
Oï Oï Oï Productions, France 3 Cinéma, EuropaCorp, Castel Film, Panache Productions, BiM Distribuzione
Cast
Aleksey Guskov, Mélanie Laurent, Dmitri Nazarov, François Berléand, Miou-Miou, Lionel Abelanski, Valeriy Barinov, Sara Martins, Laurent Bateau, Vlad Ivanov, Anna Kamenkova, Roger Dumas, Anghel Gheorghe, Aleksandr Komissarov, Vitalie Bichir, Guillaume Gallienne, Valentin Teodosiu, Ion Sapdaru, Maria Dinulescu, Anamaria Ferentz
Curator Review
Verdict
A warm, crowd-pleasing blend of political fable, backstage comedy, and tearful musical payoff. It’s often implausible and occasionally broad, but the emotional lift, ensemble energy, and final performance make it an easy recommendation for viewers who like their inspiration with a little chaos.
Best for
classical music fans
viewers who enjoy underdog redemption stories
fans of bittersweet European comedies
people who like sentimental ensemble films
audiences open to heightened, fairy-tale realism
Skip if
you need strict realism about orchestras or concert life
you dislike broad farce and contrivance
you prefer restrained, naturalistic drama
you’re allergic to sentimental endings
Overview
The Concert is a shamelessly romantic movie in the best and worst ways. It takes a deeply political wound — artistic exile under Soviet antisemitism — and turns it into a caper about old friends, second chances, and the stubborn dignity of music. The premise is ridiculous, but the film commits to it with enough warmth and momentum that the fantasy becomes part of the pleasure.
Worth noting
What makes it work is the tonal balance: slapstick bureaucracy, melancholy memory, and a genuine love of performance all share the same stage. The ensemble has a ragged charm, and the film keeps finding ways to turn absurdity into feeling rather than empty gimmickry. When it lands on the concert itself, the payoff is real.
Bottom line
It’s not subtle, and it doesn’t pretend to be. But if you’re in the mood for a movie that believes music can repair history, reunite broken lives, and briefly make the world feel just, this one goes down very easily.
Top Letterboxd reviews
Marianna Neal 🇺🇦 (3.5★) · 36 likes
"You ask for words, but words are traitors. Words are dirty. Only music is still beautiful."
In case anyone was wondering, OF COURSE this is NOT how orchestras or concerts work! The Concert is a fantasy, a romanticized story about music, friendship, and dreams. It has some brilliant moments along with some utter nonsense, and somehow ends up being a heartfelt and enjoyable film. Absolutely worth watching, despite its occasional ridiculousness.
matei (5★) · 26 likes
this movie was a perfect combination of funny, not heavily based on eastern europe=poor type of funny, and a tragic backstory which almost made me cry. amazing movie.
teamgal (0.5★) · 24 likes
A fundamentally grotesque piece of work. Under the delusion that it's a piece of humanism, this mines cultural differences for comedy and, in the process, degrades everything it touches. I've absolutely no trouble with cheap sentimentality, or with broad humor, but it takes a sophisticated talent to mix them together. This movie, on the other hand, is all thumbs and ultimately not much more than an ugly display of hardcore xenophobia.
César Awards, Every Best Picture Nominee
Sofago (4.5★) · 22 likes
Music is the real communism❤️
𝕵𝖆𝖉𝖊 ღ∞♛☽𝄞 (5★) · 20 likes
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️“The Concert” (2009)
Absolutely incredible. It’s emotional, hilarious, musical, and powerful all at once. The final performance is breathtaking — easily one of the most beautiful endings I’ve ever seen.
The film balances humor and heartbreak with so much elegance. It feels human, warm, and full of meaning. A true gem.
“Music is the only truth we can all share.”
5/5 — stunning, heartfelt, unforgettable. 🎻✨