Mr. Blake At Your Service (2025) Movie Review & Summary
John Malkovich delivers a feel-good movie in Mr. Blake At Your Service, about a widow looking to reconnect with his wife through the place they fell in love.
Spoiler Alert: This summary and review contains spoilers.
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“Mr. Blake At Your Service” Film Details
- Runtime: 1 Hour(s) and 50 Minutes
- Seen Via: Press Screening or Screener
- Released On: In Theaters (Get Tickets)
- Public Release Date: June 20, 2025
- Director(s): Gilles Legardinier
- Writer(s): Christel Henon, Gilles Legardinier
- Based On Work By: Gilles Legardinier
- Primary Language: Non-English (French)
- Genre(s): Comedy, Drama, Elder
- Rating: Not Rated
- Distributor: Sunrise Films
Summary
After losing his wife, Andrew Blake (John Malkovich) decides to visit the estate where he and his wife fell in love. He ends up being mistaken by Odile (Émilie Dequenne) and the owner of the estate, Nathalie (Fanny Ardant), for someone applying to be a butler, and he decides to go with the idea, as that was the only way he would be able to stay. But in the process of trying to reconnect with his past, he meets a group of misfits who he wants to be an active part of his present and future.
What To Expect In “Mr. Blake At Your Service” (Not Rated) – Content Overview
- Dialog:
- Cursing: Occasional
- Violence:
- Gun Violence: A Gun Goes Off Once Or Twice
- Sexual Content: Nothing Notable
- Miscellaneous:
- Drinking: Yes
- How Emotional: You May Get Teary-Eyed
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Review and Commentary
Highlight(s)
It’s Heartwarming As It Presents Andrew’s Need To Belong [84/100]
While Andrew has a daughter, it is established that she is a grown woman with a whole life on a different continent, which he doesn’t want to attach to just because he is dealing with a major life change. And the way Mr. Blake At Your Service operates, it should be noted it isn’t a woe is me, sob story. Andrew deeply misses his wife, and it’s clear that life has lost its luster without her. However, the real struggle for him is trying to figure out, with the life he has left, what to do with it?
So to see him, despite his socio-economic status, play a butler, work with people like Odile, while adjusting to the Madame of the estate not knowing how much he could help her situation immensely, it was interesting. How? Mainly because the film avoided the generic ways you’d expect it to go. Andrew wasn’t oblivious to being a butler and the duties, and while he overstepped at times regarding asking questions of the madame, he was never presented as incompetent for laughs or to push the idea that his wife did everything at home and he just brought home the bacon.
Instead, he was always shown as capable, never the best, but able to take on their role, adapt, and find a sense of belonging. Which develops this heartwarming feeling as you see that Mr. Blake just needed a change of scenery, change of community, and have a sense of purpose so that, for however long he has to wait to be with his wife again, he isn’t waiting on his heart to stop but is filling his heart, and time, with more people who love him.
Likable, Though Simple Characters [81/100]
When it comes to Odile, Nathalie, if not the entire cast in general, I won’t pretend like these are the deepest characters you’ll ever meet. Nearly everyone has a backstory, some sadder than others, but in all of their stories, they aren’t made to be flawed or live in the gray in some way. They are simple people who found their way to the estate, mainly through getting lucky when they needed a place to work and shelter.
Now, mind you, Nathalie’s story has a notable complication when she talks about her late husband. However, Mr. Blake At Your Service is overall a feel-good movie, so while there is a bit of darkness, regret, and people getting in their own way, it generally keeps things light and fun. You’ll see Andrew get into some mischief with a man named Magnier (Philippe Bas) and also there will be some scenes when you see him looking off into the distance, maybe longing for his wife, while you hear wind and string instruments that sound like they are from a Tchiakovsky ballet you are familiar with.
Overall
Our Rating (82/100): Positive (Worth Seeing)
Mr. Blake At Your Service has no desire to bring you to the point of tears or be an overt comedy. It fits in that realm of being likable enough for you to commit to watching, in full, at least once. Then, from that point on, it is good enough to have on without your full attention, but with you checking in to see if your favorite scene is about to come up.
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