With less than 70,000 admissions in French cinemas, “A Dress for Mrs Harris” remained very confidential. But the charming and touching feature film has returned to the forefront in recent days thanks to Netflix subscribers.
Number one in the Top Netflix Movies this Wednesday, A Dress for Mrs Harris melts subscribers’ hearts! No wonder, because the film is a perfect balance between Christmas story, dramatic comedy and pure comedy. All with a charm so british !
Focus Features Lesley Manville
In this story, we follow the journey of Ada Harris, a Londoner whose husband was missing in action and who now lives alone doing housework. But when she discovers a magnificent dress hanging in the bedroom of one of her wealthy clients, she is in such ecstasy that she will do everything to obtain one and thus discover the world of haute couture.
And for that, what could be better than a trip to Paris?
This film released last year is already in the Top 10 most watched feature films of all time on Netflix
The film is directed by Anthony Fabian (Skin) and stars Leslie Manville (Phantom Thread) in the lead role. Passed unnoticed during its theatrical release in November 2022 (barely 69,356 admissions in France), A Dress for Mrs Harris is now being discovered by a new audience.
What do Internet users think?
Among the opinions of AlloCiné spectators, CINETIM rates the film 4 stars, finding Lesley Manville “sparkling” and emphasizing that “everything is neat, from the photography to the sets, including the costumes and the soft and clear soundtrack”.
Same thing for Cinemadourg which, if it admits that “the scenario is worthy of a Christmas TV movie”recognizes that “something [l]“really touched this woman who is motivated to follow her fantasy to the end, whatever the cost!”
Focus Features
It’s not a dress, it’s THE dress!
selenie is a little more severe (3 stars) by writing: “A clumsy little comedy then but which has enough charm and grace, and even fantasy to have a good time with a smile to boot.”
However, the film has 5 detractors, including Rourkewhite, who gives it only 1.5 out of 5: “The most sensitive will appreciate it, the others will not be able to help but notice the candor, even the naivety of the whole, the situations and the characters that are not very credible, even ridiculous, an irresistible penchant for sentimentality (…)”nevertheless concluding positively:
“That goes for the main character, so British and very well played, and possibly behind the scenes of the Dior house, whose film ultimately resembles a big advertising spot!”