Coup de Chance

Being a fan of Woody Allen's films, I couldn't expect a mediocre film shot in Paris. Paris is the European muse for Allen and some of his most enjoyable films are shot there.

Many have found resemblance to "Match Point" but I disagree: "Coup de Chance" is a wonderful hommage to Claude Chabrol's oeuvre. Here's why; There's a corrupt rich husband with a murky past, a depressed wife longing for romance, and an old friend who storms into her life to spark 'illegal' passion with all that follows.... Need I say more?

But what Allen knows better is to provoke the sympathy for the people who try to follow their heart and change their life to the better and at the end of the day we can all realize that no one knows what the future might bring in life.

Coup de Chance is also a great comment to those arrogant wealthy people who think they control everything and everyone around them until they meet their own Nemesis!

Fanny (Lou de Laâge) and Jean (Melvil Poupaud) have everything of the ideal couple: fulfilled in their professional life, they live in a magnificent apartment in the beautiful districts of Paris and seem to be in love as on the first day. But when Fanny crosses, by chance, Alain (Niels Schneider) , a former high school friend, she is immediately capsized. Fanny falls for her charms and soon her encounters stop being so casual. They see each other again very quickly and get closer and closer. As two young people's bond leads to marital infidelity and ultimately crime. Meanwhile, Fanny's mother Camille (Valérie Lemercier) discovers some clues and surprising events that show that things are not as they seem to be.

¨Exciting, dramatic, and also sinister", is how the great New York director Woody Allen defines his 50th film. He directs this ironic black comedy full of criminal intrigue and numerous plot twists , which he himself compared to his successful film "Match Point". The film is shot entirely in French, here Allen recovers common themes from his writing such as infidelity, death, romantic intrigue, murder or luck, as well as his usual characters full of contradictions, which he frames within the carefree and idle Parisian upper class.

Lou de Laage (¨Les innocentes¨¨Mad Women's Ball) plays competently Fanny, a rich, happily married Parisian, whose life takes a turn when she accidentally crosses paths with Alain, an old high school classmate well played by Niels Schneider, while the third in contention is Melvil Poupaud. Lou de Laage stars in an acceptable but somewhat unknown cast, compared to other Allen films in which big stars, either American or from other countries, usually appear, however they all give decent performances. This is one of his last films in which Allen usually shoots abroad such as France or Spain and which are usually financed by companies from the countries where it is shot in order to internationally promote the cities in which it takes place.

In ¨Coup de chance¨(2023) excels the colorful and luminous cinematography by the great Vittorio Storaro, the prestigious cameraman working from the 60s and providing luxurious color to all the films he has made. This comedy-thriller is full of attractive and pleasant and also somewhat ridiculous situations, being adequately written and directed by Woody Allen. Hauled by some as Allen's triumphant return to his old stylings .In his beginnings Woody made generally hilarious films in which he often acted, such as: "What's Up, Tiger Lily?", "Take the money and run", "Pussycat, Pussycat I Love You", "Sleeper", "Everything You always wanted to know about sex but were afraid to ask¨, among others. Later he created several masterpieces. Including a series of films in which he provided good direction, putting enough care, wit and warmth, such as : ¨Crimes and misdemeanors¨, ¨New York stories¨, ¨September¨, ¨Radio Days¨, ¨Hanna and her sisters¨, ¨Broadway Danny Rose¨, ¨Zelig¨, ¨Stardust memories¨, ¨A midsummer Night's Sex Comedy¨, ¨Interiors¨, ¨Purple rose of Cairo¨, ¨Manhattan¨, ¨Annie Hall¨, ¨Melinda Melinda¨ and many others . Rating: 6.5/10. Better than average. The film will appeal to fans of Woody Allen's films. Well worth seeing.

Coup de chance is another masterpiece by Woody, the master of cinema. The cast (Lou de Laâge, Melvin Poupaud, Niels Schneider, and Valérie Lemercier) is absolutely great, the script (Woody) is brilliant, the cinematography (Vittorio Storaro) is gorgeous, and the direction (Woody) is, as always, impecable. This is a movie about love, betrayal, control, and luck. Amazingly written and beautifully shot. A masterpiece (in French) with a flavour of the great French cinema from last century (Truffaut, Lelouch, Godard), with a bit of Hitchcock (you can actually spot a Hitchcock book lying on a shelf in one scene), and with a wonderful soundtrack (jazz from the 60s: Herbie Hancock's "Cantaloupe Island" and Nat Adderley). No explosions, plastic people or a 200MM budget; just absolutely pure excellent cinema. Bravo, Woody. You are the best! 10/10.

I've been waiting for quite a long while for Woody to say something new. To be completely honest, it's not all that new, Woody himself had said more than once in his writing. But he never made a movie saying it so bluntly. And after a decade of repeating movies he did before, it's a breath of fresh air.

The acting is spot on, even if it does feel like his French people are in fact New Yorkers speaking with a weird accent. All the technical aspects were never an issue in Woody's movies. I'm not saying it's perfect, but it's a fun movie, and a good pastime. And I do like seeing Luo De Laage, ever since I saw her in Les Innocentes.

We were very lucky to attend an advance screening of Woody Allen's latest movie, "Coup de Chance" (Stroke of Luck) almost a whole month ahead of its Australian release. While it may not stand as his greatest work, the film is undeniably well-made and thoroughly entertaining. Set against the backdrop of Paris in the autumn, the cinematography captures the city's beauty, adding an extra layer of charm to the narrative.

The film boasts decent acting performances, with the cast delivering their roles competently. However, it's hard to ignore the sense of déjà vu, especially if you've seen "Matchpoint." It's like Allen's taken a stroll down memory lane, rehashing some of his earlier ideas. While the familiarity may give a sense of nostalgia for longtime fans, it also left me yearning for something new from the seasoned filmmaker. Despite these echoes, "Coup de Chance" manages to create a compelling story, keeping the audience engaged with its well-paced plot and witty dialogue. In the end, Allen once again demonstrates his ability to craft an enjoyable cinematic experience, even if the shadows of his past successes loom in the background.