“The Chamber of Wonders”: apart from Alexandra Lamy, nothing very wonderful according to Le Masque

Alexandra Lamy plays Thelma, a single mother who works in a cosmetics company. She walks down the street with her 12-year-old son, Louis. And then at some point, she receives a professional phone call. Louis goes away with his skateboard and he is hit by a car, transported to the hospital, placed in a coma. In her son’s belongings, Thelma comes across his wonderbook in which he writes down the 10 things to do before the end of the world. Actions that his mother will want to accomplish so that her son can experience them vicariously in this room of wonders.

Michel Ciment disappointed by a film devoid of inspiration

No, at the review Positiveapart from Alexandra Lamy’s acting, we didn’t buy into it at all for lack of scriptwriting and staging: “Apart from Alexandra Lamy, who is good as often, I found the film extremely disappointing, because the first part, the accident is all the more moving as it is about the misfortunes of a child knocked down by a car. But then the poetry is completely missing. Or it’s totally free, which isn’t the case with the film. Or else it is extremely rigorous, and this is still not the case with the film since everything is free. And I never believed in those dream images in that chamber of wonders. I saw an extremely sluggish film, totally lacking in vigor and inspiration“.

Xavier Leherpeur only saves the interpretation of the actors

It must be said that the critic of 7th Obsession had already been particularly frightened by one of the filmmaker’s films (“I Love America”, 2022) and he didn’t really want to see one of his films again: “It’s not a director’s film , it’s very clear, it is purely illustrative. Only the three actors, whom I really like and who are doing really well, since Alexandra Lamy has the ability to be both dark and sunny, bright and anxious, then without forgetting Muriel Robin and the young Xavier Lacaille, who are incredible. Not to mention the fake happy ending that surprised and moved me.”

A romantic process that does not stick with the cinema according to Eva Bettan

It was infeasible as an adaptation and it doesn’t work at all. On arrival regret the review for France Inter : “She does what she can Liza Azuelos, but with a subject that cannot be treated on the screen. We can’t have an adventure film in which we will realize the dreams of a child. On arrival, we have a film where the child disappears in favor of a mother who embarks on an adventure, it is formidable“.

Eric Neuhoff did not see it

However, in his list to do before you die, the journalist at Figaro confides that this film is one of the things that he categorically scratches.

The original band


1h 16

The film

🎧 Listen to all the reviews exchanged about this film on the set of the Mask and the Feather:

“The Chamber of Wonders” by Lisa Azuelos

3 mins

To view this Youtube content, you must accept cookies Advertisement.

These cookies allow our partners to offer you personalized advertising and content based on your browsing, your profile and your areas of interest.


► All the other Mask and the Feather film reviews

can be found here.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top