Un Profil pour deux

A bit of an uneven ride, "Un profil pour deux" works mainly as a comedy. That's because the story feels extremely contrived - you don't mind that for a comedy, but anything more serious falls flat if you can't believe in the story or the characters. As to those characters, they're played mostly for laughs, too, except the three leads who have to carry the romance and drama. While Pierre Richard and Fanny Valette are excellent, Yaniss Lespert seems miscast, he's the weakest part of the trio. While those shortcomings keep it from being an A movie for me, "Un profil pour deux" is still a quick-footed and somewhat cute comedy with some bite to it, too - you won't be bored and you will snicker and smile.

I just watched the movie. It has a moderate pace. The plot unfolds in due time. No doubt, his purpose as a comedy is well achieved, because he could make me laugh enough. The photograph set in the Parisian streets is well achieved. The ambient décor of Monsieur Pierre's apartment permeates the film with an atmosphere of nostalgia, denoting the state of widowhood of Pierre, who progressively becomes a stage with more life, after he starts using the internet. The soundtrack, repetitive and orchestrated with instruments used in the tango, seems to me excellent. I recommend the movie, it's worth seeing.

Although the movie is exported with a title naming "Mr. Stein," I don't recall from the movie itself that his name is anything other than simply "Pierre" and he says that in his younger days he was sometimes called "Pierrot," a name straight out of the commedia del'arte. The raw materials of French farce, including a silly old man hanging on to a mismatch with a lovely young woman, are put to use here in a touching way rather than an uproarious way.

For us as an audience (okay, for me as an audience), this is very much old Pierre Richard's movie, and he carries it off superbly. Unfortunately, it wasn't written that way. The script gives as much weight, if not more, to his granddaughter's friend, an ineffectual fellow played by Yaniss Lespert. And while it's possible to look ineffectual and funny (and Pierre Richard could give a master class on that), Yaniss Lespert simply looks ineffectual. He's in an interesting situation, but he doesn't come across as an interesting person.

Still, the wheels of the plot turn smoothly, sometimes a little intricately. In one or two places, it's important to keep your eye on the screen because not everything is proclaimed in the dialogue. Strangely, for a movie written and directed by women, the female characters are a little undermotivated; but the atmosphere of the movie does embrace them and it's an atmosphere of mild loneliness and hope.

Almost a classic story but the setting is different and the irony arises to make it interesting. The setting of an online entanglement for more normal people is enjoyably presented. Who will win out in their fantasy entanglement? It reminds me of the days when CB radios first came out and the same kinds of pseudo characters abounded. Wild that a German film company made a French movie too. It must be seen to be appreciated. Not quite but sort of a modern Cyrano de Bergerac not helping a friend but his son helping himself!

Now I am searching for a replay on our foreign film channel to review in more detail when I am more focused.

First, because it is an old fashion love story. second, for its simplicity who use new elements only for the rehabilitation of classic French comedy. not the last, for Pierre Richard in a role who represents target for nostalgia of his admirers. all is seductive in the case of this film. the confusions, the romanticism, the humor, the crumbs from Cyrano de Bergerac, the end, conflicts and the fragile status of poor Alex. so, an invitation to escape in a familiar and comfortable universe.