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Oh, Woe Is Me

Oh, Woe Is Me

Drama · Fantasy · Romance · 1993

This complex allegorical tale tells the story of man’s quest for spiritual meaning. When God enters the body of 1980s filmmaker Simon Donnadieu, his wife Rachel realizes that something has gone awry, but chooses to remain faithful to her erratically-behaving husband.

Movie details

Oh, Woe Is Me

1993 Drama · Fantasy · Romance 1h 24m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.3 / 10

Community rating

This complex allegorical tale tells the story of man’s quest for spiritual meaning. When God enters the body of 1980s filmmaker Simon Donnadieu, his wife Rachel realizes that something has gone awry, but chooses to remain faithful to her erratically-behaving husband.

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 Oh, Woe Is Me?

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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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Jean-Luc Godard

Written by

Jean-Luc Godard

Gérard Depardieu

Gérard Depardieu

Simon Donnadieu

Laurence Masliah

Laurence Masliah

Rachel Donnadieu

Bernard Verley

Bernard Verley

Abraham Klimt

Aude Amiot

Aude Amiot

Aude Amiel, a Student

Roland Blanche

Roland Blanche

Drawing Teacher / Bookseller

Marc Betton

Marc Betton

Doctor

François Germond

François Germond

Shepherd

Court is in session

Put Oh, Woe Is Me on trial.

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

The defence The Sentimental Softie

“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.