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The Thieving Magpie

The Thieving Magpie

Drama · Comedy · 2025

Maria, who's not as young as she used to be and who helps people older than her, is living from hand to mouth. She can't quite accept her precarious situation and steals a few euros here and there from all those lovely people she looks after with such devotion, and who adore her for it… But after an accusation of abuse of a vulnerable person, Maria winds up in police custody.

Movie details

The Thieving Magpie

“When a grandmother's love for her grandson pushes her over the line.”

2025 Drama · Comedy 1h 41m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.2 / 10

Community rating

Maria, who's not as young as she used to be and who helps people older than her, is living from hand to mouth. She can't quite accept her precarious situation and steals a few euros here and there from all those lovely people she looks after with such devotion, and who adore her for it… But after an accusation of abuse of a vulnerable person, Maria winds up in police custody.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over The Thieving Magpie?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Where it lives

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Robert Guédiguian

Written by

Robert Guédiguian · Serge Valletti

Ariane Ascaride

Ariane Ascaride

Maria

Jean-Pierre Darroussin

Jean-Pierre Darroussin

M. Moreau

Gérard Meylan

Gérard Meylan

Bruno

Grégoire Leprince-Ringuet

Grégoire Leprince-Ringuet

Laurent

Marilou Aussilloux

Marilou Aussilloux

Jennifer

Lola Naymark

Lola Naymark

Audrey

Robinson Stévenin

Robinson Stévenin

Kévin

Court is in session

Put The Thieving Magpie on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Prestige Tourist

“Sincerity is not manipulation.”

The film risks embarrassment to make emotion communal, and that openness is harder than fashionable detachment.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“The strings are showing.”

Every cue tells you exactly what to feel and when, leaving sentiment to do the work character should have done.