Really enjoyed this. It focuses on three friends in Montréal, all of whom are well-acted and have great chemistry together. The topics are serious and the women are in a fight against their circumstances but humour comes from that and their love and support for each other.
Don't be scared of subtitles, I used them as my French is only junior high level and a long time ago but it is well worth it. It made me wish I had spent more time learning the language.
A must watch for all Canadians especially but everyone else, too. Can't wait to see season 2.
14 Reviews
Gritty Series
filmfancy15 December 2020
The strength of this series lies in the excellent work by the three main actresses. It has some humourous moments, but for the most part is a gritty look at generational dysfunctional patterns of behaviour which can take years to overcome. The second season focuses more on domestic abuse and some scenes are difficult to view. There are also scenes of abuse inside a prison.
I was curious as to why there weren't any trigger warnings regarding the abuse, and why there weren't any resource numbers listed at the end of the episodes. It's commendable that the series creators focused on this important subject, but why not provide further help/information.
I was curious as to why there weren't any trigger warnings regarding the abuse, and why there weren't any resource numbers listed at the end of the episodes. It's commendable that the series creators focused on this important subject, but why not provide further help/information.
Hidden Gem
JLPDX17 September 2021
I ran across this on Netflix and am so happy they brought this little Quebecois gem to the south. The acting is so sincere, so authentic and everyone in the show so vested in the screenplay with all their heart. The portrayal of poverty in Canada is not something often encountered on the screen and I have to admit it shook my image of Canada as a land of plenty with its honest examination of the visiousness of the poverty conundrum. The setting is a non-gentrified, poor and neglected neighborhood hidden behind the majestic beauty of Montreal, one a tourist likely would not encounter. To say the show is gritty is an understatement but despite the sadness of the landscape and the lives of the three protagonists the writers still manage to show the humor and grace required to survive such an environment. It's a beautiful show worthy of a larger audience.
Brilliant show!
ldumouchel-344-64706910 November 2020
Great acting; realistic and engaging portrayal of life challenges in a Montreal urban setting. I binge watched both seasons... could not stop... laughed and cried... Merci and bravo to the cast and writers... Looking forward to season 3...
What a gem!
dreamingskychild10 November 2020
I have found this drama series to be so very, very beautiful, real, and refreshing. It follows the lives of three young women who are friends, each facing their own set of difficult circumstances and issues, whilst trying to support one another. The comedy and chemistry on screen is brilliant and lovely. I highly recommend watching this in the original Canadian French language with subtitles, rather than dubbing. The acting is too good to miss!
Brilliantly funny & heart-wrenching
pqfwwn16 December 2020
All I can say is that the kinds of family dysfunction depicted here is portrayed incredibly realistically, along with the full range of emotional reactions that accompany growing up in that sort of environment - including both the humour and rage needed to survive it. I laughed & became tearful at various points watching this series, & came to love each of these three characters. The character development was so well written, & acted, that it was not only entertaining but therapeutic! I would even go so far as to recommend it as a helpful tool for opening up discussion in educational and/or therapy contexts. Kudos to those who chose to tackle these difficult topics in their screenwriting, & who recognized that humour is often the only saving grace for retaining sanity in insane circumstances.
Pure Quebec
tristanpens30 October 2019
Spectacular
hanaahbraan18 February 2021
🎈
aybike-3472121 June 2020
Very nice.
jovicana99920 June 2020
One of the strongest TV series from Québec despite the miscasting
Siamois27 April 2022
This poignant yet funny series follows the evolution of three (young?) women of modest background. It features raw acting, sometimes looking almost like an improvised performance that is quite interesting.
While Ada, Caro and Fabiola are front and center, various characters surround them, most of them just as vulnerable as the three best friends.
First the good: As many reviews mention, this series succeeds in presenting a mix of comedic silliness and stunning drama. The second thing that hooked me was their environment. This series is beautifully shot and the poor neighborhood the girls grew up in is a character of its own, in all its beauty and tragedy. This constantly drives the point home: the delicate balance between being the master of your own destiny, but how strongly your origins impact you. I found this beautiful.
For the bad now. The character of Ada is portrayed as what seems like a 20 year old character with the maturity of a teenager. Problem is, Ada is.played by actress Florence Longpré, 33 at the time this was shot. This is... awkward. It gets worse. The character of Caro starts off as what can be best described as a 14 year old tomboy. Problem is... it's played by Eve Landry, a 34 year old woman at the tie of shooting.
The third friend is fortunately a struggling but more mature character, often acting like a stabilizing presence for the two others. Fabiola is portrayed by singer Mélissa Bédard who was in her mid-twenties at the time this was shot and compensates her lack of acting experience with a raw, authentic presence and a lot of natural comedic talent.
It is very unfortunate that two of the three main characters were totally miscast. As the series started, I was extremely confused seeing two mature women in their mid-30s playing what sounded like teenager. I genuinely thought this was about mentally retarded women.
Still, the series has several strong moments and gets slightly better with each season, despite a strong tendency to neglect male characters in the most obvious way.
While Ada, Caro and Fabiola are front and center, various characters surround them, most of them just as vulnerable as the three best friends.
First the good: As many reviews mention, this series succeeds in presenting a mix of comedic silliness and stunning drama. The second thing that hooked me was their environment. This series is beautifully shot and the poor neighborhood the girls grew up in is a character of its own, in all its beauty and tragedy. This constantly drives the point home: the delicate balance between being the master of your own destiny, but how strongly your origins impact you. I found this beautiful.
For the bad now. The character of Ada is portrayed as what seems like a 20 year old character with the maturity of a teenager. Problem is, Ada is.played by actress Florence Longpré, 33 at the time this was shot. This is... awkward. It gets worse. The character of Caro starts off as what can be best described as a 14 year old tomboy. Problem is... it's played by Eve Landry, a 34 year old woman at the tie of shooting.
The third friend is fortunately a struggling but more mature character, often acting like a stabilizing presence for the two others. Fabiola is portrayed by singer Mélissa Bédard who was in her mid-twenties at the time this was shot and compensates her lack of acting experience with a raw, authentic presence and a lot of natural comedic talent.
It is very unfortunate that two of the three main characters were totally miscast. As the series started, I was extremely confused seeing two mature women in their mid-30s playing what sounded like teenager. I genuinely thought this was about mentally retarded women.
Still, the series has several strong moments and gets slightly better with each season, despite a strong tendency to neglect male characters in the most obvious way.
I didn't expect something that amazing
nickoleterrible7 January 2022
Mediocre at best
geister_faust8 November 2020
This show becomes dull very fast due to the lack of direction. There is not enough drama to keep the viewer invested nor there is a visual punch to make viewing experience more tolerable: Montreal is amazing location, but we can barely see it. Confined shots in run-down apartments are not really contributing to atmosphere, they are just lazy and cheap.
It's a good thing, that the episodes are around 20 minutes long, otherwise it would have been almost impossible to digest.
It's mediocre at best and by all means it's not a must watch show. I can't recommend a good TV show with deep social context in French, but in the cinema department it's en veux tu en voilà.
Spectacular slice of friendship and urban life.
hoekstraemilyj16 August 2023
Well developed characters, great casting and chemistry, engaging shots and editing.
Can you Hear Me manages to capture the harrowing realities of low income urban life in a way that feels honest, nuanced, and unsentimental. But if you're not keen on heavy drama, don't let that scare you off: the series works because its heavy topics (generational trauma, domestic violence, and substance abuse) are situated against a poignant (often laugh-out-loud) backdrop that captures the joy and meaning we cultivate through our deepest friendships, the possibility of change and growth, and the rare brilliance (and absurdity) of ordinary life.
The cinematography and post production add a lot of value - an engaging watch that will make you giggle, cheer, and pick your heart up off the floor.
Can you Hear Me manages to capture the harrowing realities of low income urban life in a way that feels honest, nuanced, and unsentimental. But if you're not keen on heavy drama, don't let that scare you off: the series works because its heavy topics (generational trauma, domestic violence, and substance abuse) are situated against a poignant (often laugh-out-loud) backdrop that captures the joy and meaning we cultivate through our deepest friendships, the possibility of change and growth, and the rare brilliance (and absurdity) of ordinary life.
The cinematography and post production add a lot of value - an engaging watch that will make you giggle, cheer, and pick your heart up off the floor.
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