De vrais mensonges

This is a light romantic comedy from France that actually does have a few edges. Which means it's not too straightforward, but it also means that it has some story developments that might not be to your liking. Especially if you believe the cover text (about this having the heights of Amelie).

Do not even think about Amelie (it might seem difficult but our Amelie sweetheart is capable of being someone else too), because this will spoil your movie experience. I liked this a lot because, the characters seem so real and therefor you really feel for the people/characters and what they are going through. Not everyones taste obviously this is a nice touch on a genre :o)

What could the director of a romantic comedy in 2010 wish more than to have in the cast Nathalie Baye and Audrey Tautou in the roles of a mother and a daughter entangled in a love intrigue that has as its object (or the third tip of the triangle if you want) the same man? Film director Pierre Salvadori (also the co-author of the script) had this opportunity and the result did not live up to my expectations. 'De vrais mensonges' (meaning 'True Lies' although the title chosen for the English version is 'Beautiful Lies', probably to avoid the conflict with the American 'True Lies' featuring Schwarzenegger and Jamie Lee Curtis) manages to be just an acceptable summer comedy in which the best thing is the presence of the two actresses, still leaving the feeling that they are used below their exceptional potential.

The biggest problem of Audrey Tautou's career may be the fact that she realized so early a role unique in beauty and emotion as 'Amélie'. The result was that the scenarios offered later, and sometimes the directions, also tried to emulate that success. To add to the confusion (maybe intentionally) in 'De vrais mensonges' the heroine is called ... Emilie, kind of an Amelie ten years later who tries to do exactly what Amelie did, that is to make everyone around her happy and first of all her mother (Nathalie Baye) traumatized by the fact that her husband (Emilie's father) had left her for a much younger woman. However, Emily neglects herself, including her own feelings. When in the beauty salon she owns she hires a maintenance man who turns out to be much more than that and who secretly falls in love with her, the premises are ripe for a comedy of situations having at the center a triangle of insecure lovers who send each other anonymous letters, lie to each other, suffer and deceive those around them, but especially lie to and deceive themselves.

Acting is up to the expectations. Audrey Tautou continues to mesmerize us with her unique eyes and tangles in the complications created by her own kindness, while Nathalie Baye adds to her record another role as a mature woman who struggles with courage and partial success with age, keeping her beauty and sex appeal. The triangle is completed by Sami Bouajila in the role of Jean, the romantic electrician who also turns out to be a polyglot and the owner of an impressive library. However, the main problem of the film is the schematic approach and the simplistic comic of situations. The idea of the epistolary misunderstanding is an excellent starting point, but what follows does not exceed the level of a television sitcom, and actually not a very successful one. what a pity. This movie could have been much more interesting than it came out.

Beautiful to see these guys getting entangled in the lies. More hilarious at the beginning and then get more serious toward the end, although still amusing. Fun to watch but in real life, I would give them a shake.

Love seems especially beautiful when it happens in France, doesn't it? We've all imagined ourselves as the beautiful people headlining French movies like Amelie (2001), A Very Long Engagement (2004) and Priceless (2006). Is it just coincidence that the above-mentioned movies feature French cinema's darling Audrey Tautou? Here we have another romantic comedy starring the lovely starlet and her pixie crop.

Tautou plays Emilie (probably paying homage to Amelie, the character which made the French star a household name), an owner of a hairdressing salon who receives a hand written love letter from a shy handyman. She dismisses the passionate letter at first, but when she realises that her mother is still distraught over the betrayal of her father, she decides to resend the letter to cheer the upset woman up. What follows is a series of misunderstandings and an awkward love triangle involving a man caught between two women who are mother and daughter.

This is your usual French charmer, with a tried and test romantic comedy formula. You'd be chuckling instead of roaring in laughter at the setups and the occasional sexual innuendos, you'd be impressed with yourself (yet again) because you could see the ending coming one quarter into the 105 minute movie, and you'd have no problem sitting through this lightweight and accessible production where everyone, well, is a charmer.

We are talking about the caricatured characters here, ranging from Tautou's smart alec but lovable protagonist, Nathalie Baye's (Catch Me If You Can) mother character who seems a little too hungry for sex, Sami Bouajia's (Days of Glory) handsome handyman, and other supporting roles written to provide additional laughs. This isn't exactly a bad thing though - the people in the world written by scriptwriter Benoit Graffin may lead everyday lives like ours, but there is something particularly charismatic about how they appear on screen. This makes us common folks desire for a lifestyle like theirs, and that's probably why everyone loves French cinema.

Tautou and her signature bob does nothing new here, but still manages to have you siding with her idiosyncratic and quirky character. Baye steals the show as the mother whose love life is turned upside down after receiving a zealously written love letter. The actress manages to deliver a comical performance which provides the energy for the film. Bouajia isn't too bad either, as one can only imagine his frustration as he finds himself caught between two women. Supporting characters played by Stephanie Lagarde and Judith Chemla complete the likable ensemble cast.

As this isn't a sweeping romance drama, you can expect standard production values (read: simple cinematography and simple art direction) which are more commonly found on TV movies. This, also isn't a bad thing, because your attention should be on the character's jesting and bantering.

Director Pierre Salvadori, who also co penned the screenplay, is obviously hoping to repeat the success he enjoyed on Priceless five years ago, which also starred Tautou. A romantic comedy like this will be easily enjoyed by the masses, but it may also be conveniently filed into the category of "one of those" French comedies you've watched before.

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As usual I won't try to resume the story since so many have done so and much better I'd put it. But our group of Six, three couples enjoyed it thoroughly. We've seen Audrey Tautou in quite a few movies by now and yes we did laugh a lot and sometimes loud. So if some reviewers want to put it down so be it but I think it should not deter anyone else to be well entertain. I get a little amused when I see some of those critics about the story falling in "very predictable" along other criticism. But I seem to remember in my early years around Paris going to the "Comedie Francaise" with our class, and for a "penny" thus perched on the very top of the theater we would laugh our belly out watching plays like "Tartuffe" sometimes corny to the most and predictable to no end but always very funny. Don't quote me on Moliere's Tartuffe as it is simply one of the play title I just remember. The point these were masters plays and their "farces" were very funny too. Although I'm sure one could just as easily pull them a part. Going back to "Beautiful Lies" (and why this language decided this tittle against the French literal translation " 'Some' True Lies)? I think it sustained a good pace and good timing to let us appreciate the humour. I, perhaps, would have like a more speedy and decisive ending once everyone knew what really had happened - however this really would only apply to the last ten minutes. Don't fear go and see it. It'll take your trouble away for the duration!