Selon Charlie

A few days pass in the lives of very different characters in a small town on the scenic Atlantic coast. The town mayor, a teacher, a scientist, a crook, physiotherapist and their families all see their miserable lives cross paths with the others in almost two hours of tedious film. An unhappy portrait of a town which should know better, as the characters themselves refuse to take hold of their lives to make something of them. The scientist tries to convince the teacher to join his team, but the essential problem is shared by all - an incapacity to face their own lives, to care for those around them and themselves. A dull, badly worked out film which should have remained in the editing room considerably longer than it did. Do not let the enigmatic title seduce you into the darkness, there is not much to see.

The choral film genre is pretty difficult to make. The script needs to be very sharp to justify such a choice. Here, it only is an excuse to see different actors playing different characters, with one main theme in common: loneliness.

First problem: all the actor are not so good: Vincent Lindon is, in my opinion, really bad like usual; Bacri is, as usual, really great; Pooelveorde is funny, but that's all, and the other's are OK.

Second problem: the systematization of the film making. Garcia shoot in 2.35, a choice I cannot understand for that kind of movie. She alternates "low-fi" movement and stabilized, clean pan, but empty.

Third problem: a terrible use of the music. They are totally inappropriate, and their use are useless.

"Selon Charlie" is not a great movie. But it's still enjoyable. That's because the cast is doing a good job. Jean-Pierre Bacri is excellent. I also liked the two Benoîts: Magimel and Pœlvoorde. But the plot is too complicated and the director doesn't spend enough time working on character development. The movie stays on the surface. A lot more could have been done at the editing stage to skim the movie of the extra fat that makes it only an average flick.

Seen in Toronto, at the Royal, on March 31st, 2007. The film was shown during Cinéfranco.

76/100 (**½)