French Lover

A Harlequin Romance type of movie about an American horticulturist marooned in Paris who encounters a married man when the group she is traveling with departs for other countries with her visa. Endlessly contrived situations that break up/make up the relationship between them - however, the charm and acting skill of both leads, Karen Allen and Thierry Lhermitte, together with countless nude scenes, succeeds in overcoming the deficiencies in the script. What the movie is missing most of all is a forceful subplot, which would have added a greater degree of complication and reasons for breaking up and making up. Both leads act well. Hard to understand why Karen Allen never became a bigger star. And interesting to see Thierry Lhermitte, sleek and groomed, in a romantic role instead of the comedic roles he usually plays. And of course there is Paris - which never looked lovelier, more sophisticated and charming. (What time does the next plane leave?) Not a great movie but enjoyable to watch on a rainy afternoon.

I saw this movie in the theater when it came out, and it really stuck with me. Then I caught it again years later on late night TV, and recorded it, and fell madly in love with it. Although it has some silly parts, it is mostly a very engaging romance between a young American woman and a dashing French man, whom she met by chance when dropping in unexpectedly on a friend in Paris. In the late 80's, I would frequently watch this movie on a Saturday night when I wanted to just relax with some coffee and watch a film that totally took me away from everything. I would desperately love it if they put this on DVD someday. This may be a "chick flick", but oh what a lovely one. Catch it if you can.

I've loved this movie for years. It automatically swept me off my feet. What a lovely thought...to jet off to France and meet your own Frenchman (smile). I loved the quality/photography. I't just a perfect love story on all counts. I can't believe it's now 22 years old(now being 2006). I tried to buy this movie a few years ago, but was told then that it was very expensive at the time, and rare. Good things come in time, and it's now available on DVD. I'm for one, very happy. This fine gentleman (Thierry Lhermitte) is a very good actor, as well as the ever talented Karen Allen. I plan to order a copy of the DVD and add it to my love story collection. If you haven't seen this one...you should.

This is another romantic film with an interesting plot, which one can consider original. A lady missed her plane and at this moment had the opportunity to know a French man. They became attracted each other immediately, love and fun started, but it was to stop. The film shows the way a French man treats a woman and how she responds positively to this relationship. The film contains well developed romantic and sex scenes.

This movie isn't terrible, really. Somebody commented that Mo is the type of American Europeans snicker at. But there are those, and not necessarily Anglo-Saxon yahoos, who do not care for Frenchmen; and the Xavier character isn't going to sway them.

Let's consider his stereotypical Frenchman attributes:

1). Cynical - very cynical. Check.

2). Reedy, underfed appearance, check, despite:

3). A great appreciation of cuisine. Check.

4). Lukewarm work ethic. Check. (Forget the fact he is supposedly a rich stockbroker, from watching him in the film he seems to put in ten hour workweeks.)

5). Beautiful wife, check. Despite that:

6). Loose interpretation of the marriage vows. Check.

7). Big sexual ego, which says an American girl owes you sex if you buy her dinner. Check.

Whether Mo is a hick or not, there's no reason for her to fall for this smug European twit other than the script dictates so.

On the other hand, as other male reviewers have, I did enjoy seeing Karen Allen's cute, petite body. I'll give the movie four stars; two of them are for that.