On a Magical Night

{{Infobox film

| name = On a Magical Night

| image = On a Magical Night film poster.png

| caption = Theatrical release poster

| native_name = {{Infobox name module|fr|Chambre 212}}

| director = Christophe Honoré

| writer = Christophe Honoré

| producer = {{Plainlist|

Philippe Martin
David Thion

}}

| starring = {{Plainlist|

}}

| music =

| cinematography = Rémy Chevrin

| editing = Chantal Hymans

| production_companies = {{Plainlist|

Les Films Pelléas
Bidibul Productions
Scope Pictures
France 2 Cinéma

}}

| distributor = Memento Films

| released = {{film date|2019|5|19|Cannes|2019|10|9|France and Belgium|df=yes}}

| runtime = 90 minutes

| country = {{Plainlist|

France
Belgium
Luxembourg

}}

| language = French

| gross = $3 million{{cite web |url=https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Chambre-212-(France)#tab=summary |title=Chambre 212 (2019) |website=The Numbers |access-date=23 June 2020}}{{cite web |url= https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt10115562/ |title=On a Magical Night (2019) |website=Box Office Mojo |access-date=23 June 2020}}

}}

On a Magical Night ({{langx|fr|Chambre 212|lit=Room 212}}) is a 2019 comedy-drama film written and directed by Christophe Honoré and starring Chiara Mastroianni, Vincent Lacoste, Camille Cottin and Benjamin Biolay.{{cite press release|url=https://www.festival-cannes.com/en/press/press-articles/communique/articles/the-screenings-guide-2019|title=The Screenings Guide 2019|publisher=Cannes Film Festival|date=9 May 2019|access-date=9 May 2019}} It premiered in the Un Certain Regard section of the 2019 Cannes Film Festival, where Mastroianni won the award for Best Performance.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2019/apr/18/cannes-festival-2019-full-list-of-films|title=Cannes festival 2019: full list of films|newspaper=The Guardian|date=18 April 2018|access-date=18 April 2019}}{{cite magazine|url=https://variety.com/2019/film/news/cannes-film-festival-2019-winners-1203225973/|title=Bong Joon-ho's 'Parasite' Wins the Palme d'Or at Cannes|magazine=Variety|first=Peter|last=Debruge|date=25 May 2019|access-date=28 May 2019}}

Premise

College law lecturer Maria has been married to Richard for 20 years. After revealing her history of affairs with younger men, she leaves their Paris apartment and spends the night in a hotel across the street. In her room, she is visited by Richard's younger self, as well as her ex-lovers.

Cast

Chiara Mastroianni as Maria Mortemart
Vincent Lacoste as Richard Warrimer at 20 years old
Camille Cottin as Irène Haffner at 40 years old
Benjamin Biolay as Richard Warrimer at 40 years old
{{ill|Stéphane Roger|fr}} as Maria's will
Harrison Arévalo as Asdrubal Electorat
Carole Bouquet as Irène Haffner at 60 years old
Marie-Christine Adam as Maria's mother

Production

The film's working title was Musique de chambre.{{cite web|url=https://cineuropa.org/en/newsdetail/369241/|title=Christophe Honoré about to wrap the shoot for Chambre 212|website=Cineuropa|first=Fabien|last=Lemercier|date=12 March 2019|access-date=26 May 2019}} Christophe Honoré wrote the screenplay of the film for Chiara Mastroianni, imagining her as "a Cary Grant-type character." It is Honoré's first film that was shot in a studio. It was shot in six weeks, five of which were in the studio.{{cite web|url=https://cineuropa.org/en/interview/372871|title=Christophe Honoré • Director of On A Magical Night|website=Cineuropa|first=Fabien|last=Lemercier|date=21 May 2019|access-date=26 May 2019}} Filming wrapped on 19 March 2019.{{cite web|url=https://cineuropa.org/en/newsdetail/371036/|title=France, Spain and the US rule the roost in Un Certain Regard|website=Cineuropa|first=Fabien|last=Lemercier|date=18 April 2019|access-date=26 May 2019}}

Release

On a Magical Night premiered in the Un Certain Regard section of the 2019 Cannes Film Festival{{cite web|url=https://cineuropa.org/en/newsdetail/371814/|title=Charades charges headlong towards Cannes with a slate of 19 titles|website=Cineuropa|first=Fabien|last=Lemercier|date=7 May 2019|access-date=26 May 2019}} on 19 May 2019.{{cite web|url=https://www.festival-cannes.com/en/festival/actualites/articles/chambre-212-on-a-magical-night-as-seen-by-christophe-honore|title=Chambre 212 (On a Magical Night), as seen by Christophe Honoré|publisher=Cannes Film Festival|first=Eugénie|last=Malinjod|date=19 May 2019|access-date=26 May 2019}} The film was released theatrically in France on 9 October 2019.{{cite web|url=https://cineuropa.org/en/film/371108/|title=On a Magical Night (Chambre 212)|website=Cineuropa|access-date=2 March 2020}} In the United States, it was released in virtual cinemas on 8 May 2020 by Strand Releasing.{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2020/film/lists/new-movies-streaming-this-week-may-8-2020-valley-girl-1234601978/|title=New Movies to Watch This Week: 'Becoming,' 'Valley Girl,' 'How to Build a Girl'|work=Variety|first=Peter|last=Debruge|date=8 May 2020|access-date=2 June 2020}}

Reception

=Box office=

On a Magical Night grossed $3 million worldwide.

=Critical response=

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of {{RT data|score}} based on {{RT data|count}} reviews, with an average rating of {{RT data|average}}. The website's critics consensus reads, "It isn't quite as exceptional as the titular evening, but On a Magical Night offers enough Gallic whimsy to satisfy audiences in the mood for some romance."{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/on_a_magical_night|title=On a Magical Night|website=Rotten Tomatoes|access-date={{RT data|access date|df=dmy}}}} On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 53 out of 100, based on 12 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/on-a-magical-night |title=On a Magical Night |website=Metacritic |access-date=23 June 2020}}

Stephen Dalton of The Hollywood Reporter called the film "[b]reezy and bright, with the stylized look and feel of a stage play".{{cite magazine|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/a-magical-night-review-1212121|title='On a Magical Night' ('Chambre 212'): Film Review {{!}} Cannes 2019|magazine=The Hollywood Reporter|first=Stephen|last=Dalton|date=19 May 2019|access-date=26 May 2019}} Owen Gleiberman of Variety wrote, "At 90 minutes, the film feels endless, and we have too much time to notice that the two actors playing Richard seem like two totally different people, and that the film has holes in its fantasy logic you could drive a truck through."{{cite magazine|url=https://variety.com/2019/film/reviews/chambre-212-review-christophe-honore-cannes-1203225308/|title=Cannes Film Review: 'On a Magical Night'|magazine=Variety|first=Owen|last=Gleiberman|date=24 May 2019|access-date=26 May 2019}}

Chiara Mastroianni won the Best Performance award in the Un Certain Regard section of the 2019 Cannes Film Festival.{{cite magazine|url=https://variety.com/2019/film/festivals/brazils-invisible-life-of-euridice-gusmao-wins-cannes-un-certain-regard-award-1203225505/|title=Brazil's 'Invisible Life of Eurídice Gusmão' Wins Cannes Un Certain Regard Award|magazine=Variety|first=Guy|last=Lodge|date=24 May 2019|access-date=26 May 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2019/05/cannes-un-certain-regard-2019-winners-euridice-beanpole-list-1202622066/|title=Cannes' Un Certain Regard Prizes Led By 'The Invisible Life Of Euridice Gusmao'; 'Beanpole's Kantemir Balagov Named Best Director|website=Deadline Hollywood|first=Nancy|last=Tartaglione|date=24 May 2019|access-date=26 May 2019}}