Lamorisse has a unique talent for crawling under the skins of little people.
Comment
11/19/07
The Red Balloon (1955)
100
%
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work 
Reviews Counted:15
Fresh:15
Rotten:0
Average Rating:8.4/10
Runtime: 34 mins
Genre: Childrens
Synopsis: Perfect for all ages, this beautiful French film is a short with music and sound but no dialogue. The focal point is a bright red balloon, the psychological companion of a young French boy as he... [More]
Director: Albert Lamorisse
Reviews for The Red Balloon
1 - 15 (sorted by fresh rating; UK critics are listed first)
Top CriticAs enjoyable for adults who wistfully view scenes of post-war France in all its black and white chicness, as it is for kids.
11/19/07
Top CriticOne of the best-loved and least-sentimental children's films of all time.
11/19/07
Top Critic... one of the best loved films in cinema history.
11/28/07
An utterly charming little story.
11/19/07
Top CriticA cinematic landmark . . . Lamorisse's film floats off, with the breeze of magic-realism, into a feeling of escape and peace.
12/15/07
The key to its lasting endurance is in its simplicity.
04/23/08
if you missed it as a child, now is the time to make sure you seek it out and watch it.
04/09/08
The results made exciting, memorable cinema, but could just as easily have turned into disaster. There seems to be no escaping the darker side of innocence.
11/19/07
For those of us who don't have childhood memories driving our analysis, it's a passable kids movie that could be so much more.
05/05/09
Enchanting.
05/08/08
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.
04/26/08
These are two unique and unforgettable family films -- one an essential part of world cinema, the other an underseen gem -- that a new generation deserves the chance to get acquainted with
12/07/07
It's the perfect little movie.
12/24/07
A beautiful little meditation on childhood, on imagination literally taking flight.
12/13/07
1 - 15 (sorted by fresh rating; UK critics are listed first)
Latest News for The Red Balloon
November 20, 2007:
Critical Consensus: Enchanted Bewitches, Hitman Misses, No Country is Certified Fresh
This week at the movies, we've got real-life fairy tales, a deadly fog, loads of gunplay, musical families, yuletide conflict, and the latest from the Coen Brothers. What do the... More...
What’s Hot On RT
Other News
Fresh Links
Featured
RT on YouTube 
Subscribe to RT's YouTube channel and don't miss a second of our cracking video content.
RT on Twitter
Follow Rotten Tomatoes and join us as we tweet about the week's releases.
IGN RSS Feeds