"Life is a Long Quiet River" is to be re-released on video in the US this week.  The previous release from 1992 or so has been unavailable.  I thought it worth some discussion.

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I've seen this movie about three or four times, the last time as recently as a week ago or so on the 'World Movies' channel.

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or perhaps it was on SBS
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(I've just fast fwd through the tape I have and I've found I've got a different set of subtitles than either of the ones posted above.  In fact there are no subtitles used at all in the scene where the boy is drinking alcohol)

..anyway I have it listed in my 50 favourite non English dialogue movies.

I like the look of the movie, especially Benoit Magimel as the 12 year old boy who was switched at birth and is raised in a lower class vulgar family, instead of by his wealthy natural parents.  

When he learns truth of his origins his initial reaction is that he may be able to con a few bucks out of the wealthy family.  The best part of this film for me was as he gets to know his 'new' parents he realizes how wretched his life has been until now.  Like many French satires or French comedies it is overdone and the characters are exagerated to the point of farce.  But I still like the movie and haven't tired of watching it.