Ein Mann zum Verlieben

Louis Garrel's lightweight drama initially seems like a vanity project for its writer, director and star. Nine years on from a brutal break-up, his endearingly ruffled Abel finds himself in a love triangle with the widowed Marianne (Garrel's real-life spouse Laetitia Casta) and LilyRose Depp's obsessive Eve. But skipping spryly between romantic comedy, reflective character piece and gentle farce, it surprises by putting its two women firmly in charge, leaving its assumed lead as little more than their bemused plaything. At just 75 minutes, it breezes by, though Casta's wily turn lingers beyond the credits.

On the face of it, this is just a simple romantic comedy. The three leading characters all engage in a bit of swapping and sharing and somehow you just know that's not going to be much of a recipe for success! . The writing has all the depth of a puddle and there isn't much unpredictable for us here. It does, however, have something about it - there is a dynamic between them and the plot is oddly believable in a mischievous sort of way. It makes for a perfectly watchable hour and a quarter, and leaves you afterwards thinking if perhaps you could suggest your partner were to go live with someone else who fancies them.... Perhaps not!

The film is a french rom-com that sometimes hints at being some kind if neo-noir, but none of the build up is ever well payed. It has some interesting choices, but it's cinematography is dull. The characters have a lot of hateful characteristics but you end up kind of understanding their point of view, maybe even liking them a little bit. There are a lot of questions made by the film thatyou could argue at never getting an answer. It's not bad, it's not great, it's okay, you can whatch it if you really like french movies

Second movie as a director for Louis Garrell, and (as in Two Friends) he pays tribute to the cinema that made him the director (and actor) he is today. The only problem is (for me) the conclusion of his movies, always quickly solving the good intuition of the start. His love for love triangles and ironic ways to talk about love disasters is a signature, and I wish he will be able to end a movie the way he knows how to start them.

... Louis Garrel has to be one of luckiest men in the world... constantly working with some of the most gorgeous women in films (here with his wife Laetitia Casta), and being paid handsomely for doing so

... this an interesting little movie raising a few questions that never get answered... to ask them now would give away too much of the storyline, and you need not knowing where this is all going to make watching anyway worthwhile

... overall the production was okay... the ending being the greatest disappointment, and final unanswered question... French films notably do this alot... as in most other Western countries, the divorce rate in France has risen in the last decade, where now more than half of all marriages end in divorce... seeing this film it's understandable why.