What the Day Owes the Night
What the Day Owes the Night
| 12 September 2012 (USA)
What the Day Owes the Night Trailers

Algeria, the 1930s. Younes is nine years old when he is put in his uncle's care in Oran. Rebaptized Jonas, he grows up among the Rio Salado youths, with whom he becomes friends. Emilie is one of the gang; everyone is in love with her. A great love story develops between Jonas and Emilie, which is soon unsettled by the conflicts troubling the country.

Reviews
Cathardincu

Surprisingly incoherent and boring

... View More
SpuffyWeb

Sadly Over-hyped

... View More
Jonah Abbott

There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

... View More
Zandra

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

... View More
julien_levrier2011

I gave it a 9. I read the book quite a while ago, before it became a hit. As is rarely the case, the film is very faithful to the original plot and offers incredible pictures of colonial Algeria. It sets at the time of independence of the country. In short to me, a mix of very powerful stories about love, passion and hatred, about things that have to be and things that are not meant to be. A very clever parallel between the story in the background and the stories in the foreground. And, a breathtaking depiction of what must have been the lives of people living in Algeria at this time and how debts of the past can affect people's lives, forever. What the day owes the night. A must-watch as well as a must-read.

... View More
Patrick James

This is a beautiful piece of storytelling. It traverses so much ground. The terrible division in French colonial Algeria is depicted very believably. I am sure that anyone who has lived in a divided society will feel the same way. I myself grew up in Northern Ireland and felt a great connection with this story. In the film there is also the story of four young males growing up and encountering divisions between them caused by conflicting passion and the division in society.Even though the film covers a lot of ground, it always feels entirely integrated. The story is told with such skill. The acting throughout is excellent and the pictures are often beautiful.Alexandre Arcady never underestimates the intelligence of the audience. He lets you work out what is going on without being over-told. A significant event at the end of this film is signaled that it will come. When it does we know what has happened, we are told in such a gentle and clever way. It is really extremely impressive.At the centre of the film is a personal story which is achingly sad.

... View More
Armand

a love story in Algeria. nothing different by many other French movies about this painful theme. but the charm, the poetry, nostalgic sparkles, nice cast, the story, the measure of all are virtues who makes this film more than part of a series. because it is a film about holiday, innocence and limits of emotions. sweet, precise, a little cruel. example of realistic romance. and the presence of fragile, delicate, victim of difficult choices of Jonas in interesting performance of Fuad Ait Aattou gives, the sketch of Vincent Perez character, few drops of useful poetry to entire film. a film like an old pain in the skin of memories. not memorable. but nice. and this is the most important thing.

... View More
meselflora

This was such a great movie, i definitely recommend, It is set in colonial Algeria, and follows the story of a young Arab Jonas who is torn between being with the girl that he loves and honoring a promes he made to her mother. It has the independence war as a backdrop, and several historical events are portrayed such as the revolution and the liberation of Algeria. The injustice and cruelty of the colonial French is also showed without being too accentuated. The the ending is very emotional and had me crying for at least half an hour, and Foua'd is gorgeous of course! Overall a great movie about missing out on the love of your life.

... View More