Film

The Innocent

Name: The Innocent
Genre: Comedy, Crime, Romance
Released: 2022
Cast: Louis Garrel, Roschdy Zem, Noémie Merlant, Anouk Grinberg, Jean-Claude Pautot

Other titles called The Innocent: the 1976 film.

Family drama

A French comedy about a middle-aged woman in love with a small-time criminal, and her protective son convinced the marriage is a mistake. Warm and funny without being sentimental, it finds genuine tenderness in an unlikely triangle while poking gentle fun at everyone's certainties. A film about second chances that trusts its characters' messy, contradictory hearts.

TMDb rating

3.4

If you liked this

Amélie2001

Another French film that finds whimsy and romance in everyday Paris, building affection through small moments and visual delight. Charming without ever turning saccharine or precious.

But If you find quirkiness exhausting or feel that manic pixie energy can tip into cloying, this may feel like too much of a good thing.

A Prophet2009

A brilliant French crime drama anchored by character and specificity. Shows how people transform in impossible circumstances with the same sharp eye for human contradiction that makes *The Innocent* work.

But Darker and far more violent than *The Innocent*. Prison brutality and organised crime are not softened for comfort.

The Straight Story1999

A deceptively simple story about an elderly man fixing his broken family. Like *The Innocent*, it finds profound dignity and unexpected humour in ordinary people choosing connection over bitterness.

But Extremely slow. Nearly plotless by modern standards. If you need incident or suspense, this will feel like watching paint dry.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from The Innocent

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Thief1981

Both centre on a criminal attempting legitimacy through love and domesticity, treating the question with respect rather than judgment.

Michael Mann's masterpiece about a professional criminal trying to build a normal life. The connection is structural: both films ask whether someone can genuinely change, and both answer with complicated hope rather than certainty. Enormously stylish but grounded in real human yearning.

But Slow-burn 1980s neo-noir. If you need constant plot movement, it will feel distant and cold, even though it's genuinely about intimacy.

Midnight in Paris2011

Captures the same affection for flawed people making hopeful choices in romantic French settings. Funny, touching, and interested in how people see what they want to see in each other.

But Woody Allen's whimsy feels more calculated here than in his best work. Some find the nostalgia suffocating rather than charming.

The Farewell2019

Balances comedy and warmth in a story about family bonds surviving misunderstanding and distance. The humour comes from truth, not from the situation being played for laughs.

But Emotional and meditative at times. If you're expecting consistent laughs, you'll find stretches that sit quietly instead.

About a Boy2002

A romantic comedy centred on unlikely connection and mutual rescue. Finds genuine wit in emotional vulnerability and shows how people can change each other against their own expectations.

But Follows pretty standard rom-com beats. If you've seen a dozen films in this mode, it won't surprise you structurally, just execute well.

Lost River2015

Ryan Gosling's directorial debut is a strange, tender fable about family loyalty and fighting to keep something alive in a dying place. Visually stunning in a fairy-tale register.

But Aggressively stylised in ways that can feel pretentious. Some scenes don't quite land. It's more interested in mood than plot coherence.

Ghostland2018

A French-Canadian horror film that builds its scares from genuine psychological insight. Like *The Innocent*, it has real emotional stakes beneath its genre surface.

But This is horror with real violence and trauma. If you came for the romantic comedy vibe, the tonal shift will feel jarring and unwelcome.

The Ascent1994

A small, strange film about two men climbing a mountain and failing in small ways. Finds dark comedy and genuine affection in watching people be themselves without apology.

But Deeply obscure. Almost no plot. Feels more like overhearing someone's unfinished story than watching a conventional narrative.

The Secret of Kells2009

Both films are fundamentally about defiance—choosing connection and gentleness in a world structured to reward cynicism. Both trust that choice might be worth something.

An animated Irish fable about a boy and an old man protecting something precious from a hostile world. Formally gorgeous and morally complex, it shares *The Innocent*'s faith that protecting love is worth the risk, even when the world says it's naive.

But Animated, so some assume it's for children. It's absolutely not. The animation style is unconventional and takes adjustment.