A movie so beautifully shot and interesting to watch that it's a shame every kid in America who sees it will associate it with school.

Simple and Beautiful.

Brilliant concept, quality execution, some pacing problems, beautiful ending. Not quite a classic but pretty close.

I don't know who the bigger asshole is: the kids or the Balloon.

I was bored to death already after first 30 seconds and after that it just become worst.

A genuinely lovely, charming short with a perfect ending.

Did I really just sympathize with a balloon? Beautiful locations.

Adorable.

#471

Really cute story that uses almost no dialogue. I'm not sure if I'd call it a "short" since it's something like 50 minutes long, but it was still fun. It just had a really strange ending.

No don't leave that balloon outside it'll fly away! Wait it isn't? Holy crap! Man, the death of the balloon is gruesome. It's like American History Balloon or something. I think the balloon should have gotten an Oscar. Anyway, you can examine this movie and what it means, but even on the surface... somehow 35 minutes of basically watching a balloon chill out wasn't boring. Wu-Tang is for the kids! Er... sorry, The Red Balloon is for the kids! Seriously, make your kids watch this.

it was amazing wooowww:))) perfext stranger

"The story of a boy and his toy, The Red Balloon is widely praised for its narrative and visual "purity," but not enough is said about the movie's delightful manipulation." - Paul Schrodt

A magnificent example of visual film making, The Red Balloon presents its simple, but not simplistic, tale with a quiet humanism. By placing the boy amid a mysterious, grown-up, and at times dangerous world, the film engenders instant sympathy for its protagonist, not to mention providing a striking contrast with the colorful balloon. With a light touch that blends comedy, tragedy, and catharsis, the film ends up much more complex than its straightforward narrative lets on.

Good, very good... not great.

Magical.

Extremely touching and beautiful. This is truly a gem. What initially appears as a rather silly and simplistic story turns out to be enchanting enough to move even the biggest cynics. The ending is pitch-perfect.

Uplifting.

A delightful kids' short. While Spartan in theme, the film excels in its lightness by avoiding a lot of annoying complex things like dialogue. Balloons are such fascinating metaphors, because, for children, they provide an expression of the briefness of mortal existence, expediated to emphasize the point, and to top it all off its fate lies in the hands of its owner. Everyone's had a day where all the kids want to ruin one's fun for no reason other than youthful chaos.

Short story about a boy and his balloon with a cute ending.

A PERFECT example of film narrative and structure. Anthropomorphizing won't ever be done on the level of this caliber and artistry (too high a praise? Probably, but this is one film that will stick with me until I die). All without words, Pascal shows the beauty of friendship, the hardships of society and life, the powers of imagination, and the transcendence rewarded for empathy towards others. Again, perfect.

I remember by first balloon. We were inseperable. Until he caught me cheating on him with my Red Ranger action figure at bath time. We remained friends though.

Cute. There's no children flicks like that anymore, what a shame...

The greatest twist I've ever seen.

Avant-garde filmmaking for children. Beyond the simple narrative of a boy and his friendly balloon, and the simple theme of malice vs. innocence, the movie is also a fabulous snapshot of a certain place at a certain time. The Menilmontant streets are gray and drab and still scarred from the war, but burst with a character all their own. It's a location so distinctly French that even without the few lines of dialogue, there's no mistaking where you are. It didn't blow my mind, but it's pleasant.

Charming, funny children's story. What six year old wouldn't want a balloon that loves him and follows him around?

A beautifully poetic movie about childhood innocence. There's a charm to the way the boy and the balloon are photographed that melts away any cynicism I would have about such a silly story. What makes it great is the contrast with the violent oppressive world around them, the jealous children and serious adults are the most obvious ones, but the WWII scarred streets of Paris serve as a stark reminder of how cruel the world can be. The ending is a little cheesy but fits the movie's tone.