Macadam Stories

Set in a French apartment building, this comedy drama explores the lives of several eccentric residents struggling with urban isolation. The plot follows a series of unexpected encounters sparked by a malfunctioning elevator and other strange events. Among the inhabitants are a former actress dealing with alcohol issues, a selfish man in a wheelchair, and a kind woman of Algerian descent. The story highlights the connections formed between these lonely individuals, including a relationship between the actress and a young neighbor, as well as an interaction between a woman and an American astronaut who lands on the building's roof despite a language barrier.

The film was directed by Samuel Benchetrit, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Gábor Rassov. The cast features Isabelle Huppert, Gustave Kervern, Tassadit Mandi, Jules Benchetrit, Michael Pitt, and Valeria Bruni Tedeschi. Audience reception has been generally positive, with a rating of 7/10 on IMDb based on 3,900 votes and 6.8/10 on TMDB from 199 votes. These figures are slightly higher than the film critics' rating of 6.7/10 derived from 6 reviews.