Belles familles

The negative reviews are coming from the wrong demographic for the film. If you are the right demographic ignore them. If the wrong one, I would advise trying to expand your mind a bit to fully enjoy the world of European cinema.

I love French cinema. I loved this film. The following are facts not opinions or judgements:

1. I laughed out loud a lot, as much or more than other European comedies.

2. I was charmed by the actors.

3. The family events and personalities were familiar to me and completely true to life, but much more funny on screen.

4. Fast paced.

5. All the actors gave first class performances.

6. The difference between my enjoyment of the film and the relatively low rating, and low number of reviews, prompted me to write a review which I rarely do, in service to my fellow American cinema-Francophiles.

The cinematography both of the countryside and the actors was lovely, too.

The film moved along at a fast clip and was energetically performed. The compressed time time frame, fast pace, and comic characters, hark back to 30's American screwball comedy, although the focus is more ensemble. I think cinema authorities might classify it as screwball comedy. I did laugh more and harder at Bringing Up Baby, but that is a miracle of a film. Humor, character based, situational, and even slapstick, quickly becomes the dominant mode.

When I first watched this film, in French only with no subtitles, I thought that my French got a little rusty because many things did not make sense. Then, I watched it again, this time with subtitles. Good news: my French is not rusty. Bad news: the film makes no sense, or very little sense. Even the genre is hard to pin: it feels like it may be a comedy, or romantic comedy with quite a bit of drama... or... I don't know. Then there is a plot which revolves around a house that should/could be inherited by more than one person... all made more complicated by machinations of various individuals. But, even that part does not make much sense (cannot go into details without it being a spoiler). And then, finally, we are supposed to believe that people just fall in love, because, you know, it helps move the story forward. Too bad, because there were a few decent scenes and overall, performances were quite good. But the essence of this film is simple put - poor. Not believable, not engaging. In the end, the film left me completely indifferent. At least actors were good. That's the reason I did not give it 1 star but 3.

I enjoyed this film very much. Kept me in suspense from beginning to end, very much like reading an unputdownable book. A very cleverly woven plot with twists and turns and everything ends well. Although comedic it could happen in real life!

Take all the stereotypes of a French movie, shake with a bunch a good French actors, add a heavy hand of bad scenario, and you have it. How was this movie ever released?

Overly long French "romcom" that is neither funny nor romantic. Elderly rat-like man cheats on his gorgeous young fiance with an even more gorgeous younger daughter of his dead father's mistress.

Convoluted, miscast, ridiculous mess with some terrible acting and infantile plot.

Some gorgeous locations and stunning female cast make it pretty, but vacuous viewing