Place Vendome

Only for Catherine Deneuve's performance, this movie deserves your attention. She is troubling, beautiful, captivating. A whole life's experience is generously invested in this performance. The story is not bad, some other performances are not as satisfying (e.g. Dutronc), but it is an enjoyable movie overall. And again, a great lesson in acting.

This movie is neither complicated nor complex, but its reading is rather incomprehensible. I have the feeling that Nicole Garcia tries to artificially fill an emptyness with a kaleidoscopic narrative, fuzzily alternating with the different characters on the one hand, the present and the past on the other hand, but without giving any explaination about who, what, when, why, ... like within a slow, very slow hubbub. Although the high level actings and the permanent elegance, this movie is globally frustrating and boring.

I've been checking out the comments for this movie and am slightly surprised that no one has noted what appears to be a fairly obvious metaphor. Diamonds are cold, hard, many faceted and beautiful. Catherine Deneuve is the star here. I rest my case. There is, of course, more to it than that but not a lot more. It's French so it's stylish by definition but Nicole Garcia, like so many French actors/writers/directors, was born in Oran, Algeria - gateway to Lisbon and, by definition, a free world, as we learned in the first reel of 'Casablanca' - so there's also something of the outsider element, the shopgirl who came to the ball because her beauty captured the heart of the Second Son, and who feels always slightly uneasy that it all may end tomorrow. So, what do we get for our money? Style, opulence, quasi-noir, great acting. Is that enough? You tell me. 7/10

Catherine Deneuve did an excellent job in this role. She carried the whole movie. I find her so beautiful to watch. Really love her. Period.

elegance is the basic virtue of this beautiful film. the elegance of story and performances, the elegance of details and the tension. and, sure, obvious, the elegance of Catherine Deneuve. a film about the confrontation against the past, the revelation about old experiences, the struggle for survive and the rules of a small world in which the gems are more important than the people. short, a seductive film. for the theme and for the inspired way to translate it in the image. for the beautiful science of trip in essence of the gestures and states of characters. for the air of an universe who seems be artificial. and for the great job of Deneuve.