À la folie... pas du tout

Basically I'm British and am not really supposed to like the French, I'm not sure why, I think it's something to do with Agincourt, Napoleon and the Eurovision Song Contest. Despite this I am frankly enamored with them because they're so much cooler than we could ever be.

It is because they are so comfortable in their own skin that they can get away with movies which would be embarrassing if made by the British and ghastly if made by the Americans. "À la folie... pas du tout" falls into this category. Sartre had a gift for doing philosophy in a hip, wine drinking, story telling, bohemian way. This movie has done a disturbing, psychological, tragic romance in a beautiful, sumptuous, fist-bitingly lovely way. I'm sure it's something to do with being French.

The only thing that irked me was that the script and plot were both repeatedly, albeit momentarily, clumsy. For a movie so graceful in terms of acting and direction it was sad that the screenplay couldn't quite keep pace.

On the upside the acting was great. I'm probably biased as it's only a profound laziness that stops me stalking Audrey Tautou, but she was marvelous. The story moved quickly and even the marginally avant garde perspective shift was beautifully achieved. The conclusion is wonderfully dark and leaves you feeling that the plot has been going somewhere and that you've arrived there quite unexpectedly.

Had the script been a little more polished I'd have given it more marks. Having said that I don't expect that anybody involved in the movie will be crying themselves to sleep because some random internet bloke has given them 8 out of 10. Having said that if Audrey Tautou should happen to stumble across this review my address is...

Watch it you'll enjoy it.

Audrey Tautou is in my opinion the greatest rising star of the French cinema. Coming from a tradition that does not lack great actors, beautiful divas, living legends, and huge comedians, Audrey seems to bring together talent and beauty, huge interior and exterior beauty. Some compared her with the other Audrey - Hepburn, but in my opinion the French star talent exceeds by light-years the one of the American.

'A la folie...' is an interesting film by itself. An apparent tragic love story is being told from one of the partners angle in the first half of the movie - just to be re-told from the other partner perspective in the second part. The second half and the end hide a twist. Both script and film are cleverly written though made by a script-writer and director (Laetitia Colombani) only at her second film. I am expecting good things from her in the future.

Worth seeing - 8/10 on my personal scale.

I would first like to start this review with a warning. This is not a romantic comedy, as you would probably presume by looking at the cover of this box. That is what I thought when I first discovered this 'gem' of a film. I picked it up to enjoy with my wife, and strangely, I found myself enjoying it more than her.

Without giving too much away (or more than already has by others), this is a twisted story where we, as viewers, have the opportunity to see the plot unfold from both of our main characters. Audrey Tautou takes a devilishly good turn from her innocent character in Amelie to play an artist who falls in love … or so we think. As we watch her whirlwind romance with a married man hit their ups and downs like any normal relationship, we get comfortable and stable with the film … then suddenly it changes. We rewind backwards and are shown the story through the eyes of her 'boyfriend'. Our image of this film enhances as we are handed the unexpected.

This was a beautiful film. From not only the cinematography, but also the characters and the story. This was a rarity. It is not often that you find a film of this caliber in today's modern cinema. Normally, films have a very structured story with its theme defined early within the film. Not this masterpiece. If you assume that you know this film prior to finishing it, then you will be the laughing stock of the town. I have seen several films in my lifetime, and I can honestly say that I never saw this story unfolding. I was one of those that expected the beginning to be the entire story … boy, was I surprised.

Tautou carries this film on her bare shoulders. She gives a stunning performance as a woman with a heart full of love for a man that she encounters. Her turn from Amelie proves that she is a very versatile actor.

She emotionally pulls you from your seat and glues you to the screen. Add to this the sheer brilliance of the story; with all of its twists and turns, and powerful cast that only accentuates Tautou's absurdity only helps propel this story from average to amazing.

This is one of those films that I can watch time and time again without it loosing its appeal. I would suggest it for anyone that has ever had a secret admirer. For anyone that has obsessed over anyone from afar, this is the film for you. A-la Sliding Doors, this film was impressive.

Grade: ***** out of *****

Audrey Tautou might at first sight seem to be an actress with limitations, but most of what goes through in her character's heads are shown in the eyes.

This starts as a family comedy about the innocent girl sending her loved one flowers and other presents. But it gets worse and in the end you're watching a thriller that doesn't make you feel at ease. It becomes a story of life and death and not just in the physical way.

The story is told from two view points. It remains exciting anyway.

"He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not (À la folie... pas du tout)" is a marvelous French twist.

The re-wind technique of different perspectives, descended from the Japanese "Rashomon," has combined entertainment with philosophical insight by the German Tom Tykwer, in such as "Run Lola Run," and with socio-political commentary in the Mexican "Amores Perros." Add in the American know-how of creepiness from "Fatal Attraction" and "One Hour Photo," and the French writer/director Laetitia Colombani, mais oui, applies it all to matters of the heart.

She uses both a rational and visual approach to an enormously entertaining take on "she says, he says"/"he loves she who is in love with he who is in love with she" etc. that is an unpredictable roller coaster.

One lead character is a cardiologist (the particularly hunky Samuel Le Bihan) and the other plays on our expectations of that gamin par excellence Audrey Tautou of "Amelie." We see her at first surrounded by flowers and heart decorations so of course our sympathies go out to her. Ah, how our interpretation of those wide black eyes can change! And if only Hollywood actresses would be willing to allow their images to be so cleverly manipulated.

Our other stereotypical assumptions also lead to other surprises. Unlike Hollywood, this movie respects our intelligence, and leaves us to figure out what's going on and anticipate what will happen after the end.

Just like it took awhile to feel good about "Singing in the Rain" after seeing "Clockwork Orange" and a certain classic rock song after "Reservoir Dogs," you may get a frisson of the creepies from Nat King Cole after this.

While you not may feel good at the end about particular characters and what they have done or will do, you will feel good about moviemaking and going to the movies.