Le goût des autres

Why can't American directors make movies like this? It's quiet, calm, small, understated, beautifully paced (read: slow and leisurely) and thought-provoking. The premise of the movie is not whether opposites attract (which would be nothing new) but whether our preconceptions often keep us closed down to new people and new experiences. With some gentle nudges, the characters in this lovely movie take deep breaths, look again at people and situations, and see what had been missed before. And yes, it does make us think about how art enriches us and helps us abandon the old preconceptions. Jean-Pierre Bacri is, as usual, splendid, making himself mildly repulsive and appealing, almost simultaneously (though he ends up definitely on the appealing side of the line.) How does he do it? And it's a treat to know that the actress playing the younger woman, Manie, is both the film's director and screenwriter. If you want to know what I mean about pacing, just watch the main character, Clara, as she comes out of cafe after having been stood up for an English lesson. An American director would have cut the scene as she leaves the cafe and bustles across the street in the rain, annoyed and wound up tight as a drum. But in this movie, the camera follows Clara as she walks in the rain down a long street - the shot just lasts forever, and you can see all of Clara's irritation dissipating and turning into loneliness. It's a beautiful shot.

A slice of potentially real French life, elegantly portrayed with the believable people ('characters' is the wrong word) being eminently watchable. It's a witty comedy that plays as a tragedy. The excellent screenplay reveals itself hesitantly, but that is the charm. The audience joins the story in the middle and leaves it before the end. The subtle everyday conflict of clashing tastes born of different beliefs - and no few prejudices - may seem rather boring plot compared with the latest Hollywood caper, but it leaves a magnificent impression of social relevance. And if you have not experienced the culture of everyday France, pay attention to the focal point the cafe takes. A word of praise to the two main architects: co-author (Agnes Jaoui) who directs herself as the barmaid (Manie) and her coauthor (Jean-Pierre Bacri) who writes himself the somewhat awful role of Castella. I must look out for their other works.

When I wrote about Agnes Jaoui's "Comme une image" (2004)aka "Look at me", I called it a triple triumph for its writer/director/star. I should have reserved the definition for her debut, The Taste of Others (2000) which was nominated for the Oscar as The Best Foreign Film and for nine Cesars. The film received four Cesars, including two for Jaoui, for Best film and Best Writing that she shared with her off-screen husband and co-star/co-writer, Jean-Pierre Bacri. The film deserves them all. It belongs to one of my favorite genres of different kind of comedy, subtle, depending not on laughing out loud situations and the funny clichés but on the genuineness of the characters and their interactions. It is a character driven film, and every character is alive, real, often weak and even boring but as their stories interweave, we began to see how much the movie has to say about many important things and how well it did so. What really attracts me to Agnes Jaoui's film is non-judgment of the main characters but the interest to and understanding them. This is the French film in the best meaning of the word - not glamorous, without expensive set decorations or breathtakingly beautiful lead heroes whose passion would burn the screen, no, it is quiet, ironic, elegantly constructed, it moves on its own relaxed pace, but it never drags, and its every word, smile, look, and sound combine in a wonderful watching experience. I also see it as a young writer/director/star's comment on the importance of art in our lives, and how it can really change a person and their outlook. One more thing, I simply admire Jaoui's taste in music. The scores for this film and for "Look at Me" include the examples of some of the most beautiful classic music ever written.

This debut for Jaoui (playing the role of Manie) as a director is a great comedy. Hilarious, but not over the top. 'Le Goût des Autres' has some very sharp dialogues filled with subtle jokes and delivered by a perfect cast. It was no surprise to learn afterwards that the same screenwriters wrote the script for 'Un Air de Famille' by Cedric Klapisch, another French comedy at its best. But this one is without a doubt one of the most enjoyable movies of the year. A well deserved Oscar-nominee for 'best foreign language film'.

Yes, it is a great film. Not all the directors achieve to combine well the stories. "The Taste of others" must be a model from this point of view. It has moved me to buy and read again Ibsen's "Hedda Gabbler". A good comedy, plenty of touching moments. 9 points and the Oscar for this little French jewel.