La délicatesse

I finished the book and warched the film immediately. I was pleased to discover that the script was written by the book's author, so it is perfectly adapted :) I enjoyed both the book and the film. And I loved the Markus character. He is just lovely.

This is a much better film than has been generally recognized. Props to Tatou for choosing this project. It is not a romantic comedy, though there are many occasions for laughter. It is about love and loss, grief and healing. Maybe even more, it is about our culture, whose pervasive artificiality and interpersonal politics need to make real things seem weird and out of place. There is a Bergmanesque (eg: 'Swedish') subsurface to this light-footed film. As you watch it, consider the fates Tatou's character avoids by rejecting each invitation to 'normalcy'...

The film is beautifully shot, colored, and lit. The script is marvelously economical: every line is necessary. Finally, the music is ideal for allowing the intentions of the filmmaker to sink in.

Attempting to restate her claim as the queen of French rom-coms, Audrey Tautou returns in yet another soufflé-light offering playing a young widow who falls in love with a balding Swedish man who is older, less attractive and less successful than her. Better still, their unlikely love story takes place against the age-old taboo of office romances- but even before the obligatory obstacles from both their personal and professional lives roll along, you already guess that the pair of opposites will eventually end up together.

Indeed, much as the movie tries to differentiate itself by injecting tragedy into the mix, there's little mistaking that first-time directors David and Stéphane Foenkinos- the former of whom also wrote the novel on which the movie is based- never did intend to veer away from the requisite happily-ever-after ending of the typical rom-com. All that remains to be seen is whether or not the journey to that destination is worth the ride- and the answer in this case is only a slight yes.

Of the film's three acts- the first beginning with Nathalie (Tautou) and Francois' (Pio Marmai) whirlwind romance and ending with the latter's unexpected death; the second detailing the tentative courtship between Nathalie and said Swedish colleague Markus (Francois Damiens); and the last demonstrating their willingness to preserve their relationship despite the objections of friends and colleagues- only the middle one proves engaging with its 'Amelie-like' whimsical mood.

Sparked off by Nathalie's decision to kiss Markus on a whim, this utterly charming middle section wittily observes the unintended consequences from that very impulse. In a clever switch of archetypes, it is Markus who turns out totally smitten by Nathalie, so much so that he deliberately runs away when he senses he may be falling too deeply in love with her. That scene set on a bridge against the backdrop of the Eiffel Tower is one of the funniest in the movie- ditto for another in which Nathalie takes the initiative to ask him out for a play over office messaging just as his Google search turns out the exact same date idea.

In comparison to the playful simplicity of the second act, Foenkinos' tries to cram too much into the first, trying to create a sympathetic character in Nathalie. Unfortunately, the tragic turn of events that leads Nathalie to throw herself into work for the next three years before she meets Markus fails to resonate, and seems wholly unnecessary to the central romance between the two co-workers. The third act fares slightly better, but a melodramatic turn sparked off by a heated exchange between Nathalie and her boss Charlie (Bruno Todeschini) who also fancies her is amateurish and changes the tone of the film too jarringly.

Thankfully, the movie does finish on a winning note with a beautiful fantasy sequence shot in one single take- though that alone does not distract from the fact that the filmmakers lack the dexterity at rolling romance, comedy and drama into one. The directors' inexperience also shows in the way they have both Nathalie and Markus narrate their own thoughts at random points in the movie, never using the voiceovers as an effective technique to get to know the characters better or to put a spin on the story (a la 'She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not').

Tautou is once again typecast as the gamine with the pixie-ish appeal, and though she is as lovely as she was in 'Amelie', it's clear this role was never much of a stretch for the actress to begin with. The scene- stealer here however is her co-star Damiens, an unlikely choice for a rom-com, but one perfectly suited for the role here with his wide goofy smile and disarming genuineness. You'll easily root for Damiens, and consequently his romance with Tautou to succeed in the movie.

Despite its name, this French rom-com is no delicacy, though it has its fair share of winning moments to make it more than an entertaining trifle. Don't expect it too to be a smart satire on office romances- indeed, it is too genial and whimsical to offer much on the subject. The best it does is fill out the gap for the rom-com genre until the next one rolls along, when almost certainly it will be forgotten.

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Delicacy begins with a couple falling in love and marrying. However, shortly after the marriage, he is killed--leaving his widow (Audry Tautou) grieving for quite some time. IMDb says it's three years, though the film makes no mention of this. All you know is that she's withdrawn from those around her and puts all her energy into her job. However, something VERY strange happens. After her creepy boss tries to make the moves on her, she responds by grabbing a co-worker (François Damiens) and kissing him--leaving the poor guy VERY confused! Markus has no idea what to think--mostly because he feels he has no chance with such a beautiful woman! After all, he's balding, a bit clumsy and not at all flashy. What could she see in him? So Markus' instinct is to run--but she'll have none of that--she finds him comfortable and a great person. And, oddly, this unusual relationship starts effecting those around them in unpredicted ways. What's to become of these oddly matched but very nice people? See this film for yourself.

To say this romantic film is offbeat is clearly an understatement. In most Hollywood and French films, you'd never have such a relationship--and that is what I liked about this film. He ain't fancy, but he's decent...and decent is certainly worth having for this lonely lady. Too often, films have pretty folks...very pretty folks. It's nice to see someone who most would consider ordinary--and it's nice to see that that's good enough for the woman. He's sweet, very decent and kind---so what if his hair is thinning?! This sort of casting helped elevate the film in my eyes. Also, the slow pace was nice--a wonderful combination of music, acting and charm. Some might object to this approach--I think it made the film seem real. Overall, it ain't flashy but is full of charm--and would make a perfect date film. Sure, her kissing Markus really made little sense...but let go of this and just enjoy.

By the way, after seeing this film and singing its praises to my daughter, she told me that she tried watching it and hated it! Oh well, you can't please them all!

This film achieves something that a heck of a lot of films, particularly romantic comedies, get wrong.

It captures that feeling of two people messily entering into a relationship. The initial joys and awkwardness. The moments of fright when it all seems overwhelming. The calm reflective times and the stormy moments of doubt.

After a shaky start, the film blossoms into a refreshingly cliché free study of a beautiful woman impulsively starting a relationship with a shy, ungainly, but good natured man. It's his goodness that comes through. He wins out over the slick womanisers through sheer innocent charm and a desire to do good.

A heart warming film about the need to love fearlessly and without following the crowd and of taking happiness where it's found.