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1996 • Drama • 118m

The Eighth Day

"What a difference a day makes…"

74

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FRESH

313 critic reviews

75%

POPCORN METER

HOTLY LOVED

Verified ratings

Georges has Down syndrome, living at a mental-institution, Harry is a busy businessman, giving lectures for young aspiring salesmen. He is successful in his business life, but his social life is a disaster since his wife left him and took their two children with her. This weekend his children came by train to meet him, but Harry, working as always, forgot to pick them up. Neither his wife or his children want to see him again and he is driving around on the country roads, anguished and angry. He almost runs over Georges, on the run from the institution since everybody else went home with their parents except him, whose mother is dead. Harry tries to get rid of Georges but he won't leave his new friend. Eventually a special friendship forms between the two of them, a friendship which makes Harry a different person.

IMDb

Official Trailer

Top Cast

Daniel Auteuil
Daniel Auteuil
Harry
Pascal Duquenne
Pascal Duquenne
Georges
Miou-Miou
Miou-Miou
Julie
Henri Garcin
Henri Garcin
Bank manager
Isabelle Sadoyan
Isabelle Sadoyan
Georges' Mother
Fabienne Loriaux
Fabienne Loriaux
Fabienne, Georges's sister
Juliette Van Dormael
Juliette Van Dormael
Juliette
Sabrina Leurquin
Sabrina Leurquin
Snack waitress
Dieudonné Kabongo
Dieudonné Kabongo
Dustman
Lotfi Yahya Jedidi
Lotfi Yahya Jedidi
Dustman
Jean-Henri Compère
Jean-Henri Compère
Educator
Dominic Gould
Dominic Gould
Harry's colleague
Josse De Pauw
Josse De Pauw
Policeman of police station
Alexandre von Sivers
Alexandre von Sivers
Doctor
Christian Hecq
Christian Hecq
Shoe store manager
Rémy Julienne
Rémy Julienne
Lorry driver
Didier De Neck
Didier De Neck
Fabienne's husband
Pierre Godeau
Pierre Godeau
George's nephew
Director: Jaco Van DormaelWriter: Jaco Van DormaelProducer: Philippe Godeau

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Reviews

deepkino
2026-02-11

This movie quietly exposes how isolating modern life can be. The contrast between structured, “successful” loneliness and socially excluded loneliness is handled in such a subtle but powerful way. It never lectures you — it just shows you small, human moments that slowly build into something heartbreaking. I found myself thinking about the characters like real people long after the credits rolled. Not an easy watch emotionally, but absolutely worth it. Daniel Auteuil plays the stressed, disconnected Harry to perfection, but Pascal Duquenne as Georges is the film’s magical heart. The magic isn't in big plot twists, but in the quiet, absurd, and beautiful moments where Georges' view of the world slowly dismantles Harry's. It avoids sheer sentimentality by being genuinely funny and sometimes painfully honest. The chemistry between Auteuil and Duquenne is incredible. A small, quiet film that hits like an emotional truck!

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Keywords

Details

Status
Released
Origin
FR
Languages
French
Studios
D. A. Films, Working Title Films, Pan-Européenne, TF1 Films Production, RTL-TVi

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