The Château

I think this a very well-acted movie that has some very funny moments.

Unfortunately, I don't believe that it holds together and in the end, you are left wondering if it really made any sense.

I watched in on TV which may be the reason I enjoyed it more than the other commenter. This is not a big screen vehicle. This is really a small film that can be enjoyed as an alternative to watching the sitcoms.

I think that Paul Rudd does a great job playing the neurotic, try-to-be-nice-all-the-time, new age nerd. Romany Malco does a very solid job as a no-nonsense businessman, who tries to play it cool, but deep down is a sweet guy.

It is a pleasant film. A movie that seems to have more potential than it ultimately delivers.

Paul Ruud is hysterical in "The Chateau," a largely improvised indie feature filmed in France. The film is very comic--almost sit-com-ish-- but also borrows liberally from the romance and drama genres, too. It's a fun movie that's perhaps most perfect for a date or a "night in" cuddling on the couch; also a very good film to watch with friends who are sick of your standard studio fare...

This film made me laugh hard like no other has for a VERY long time. Paul Rudd is fantastic as the culturally inept but big-hearted Graham while Romany Malco plays the all-too-smooth, self proclaimed "professional", Allen (Rex)to perfection. The film follows their misadventures as they travel to the south of France to claim the chateau which their great-uncle Jacques has left to them at his passing. The stuff that ensues is none too surprising - miscommunications due to language barriers, slapstick style antics from the devious servants,Pierre and Sabine - but it works. A stand out performance comes from Sylvie Testud, the seemingly timid maid, Isabelle, whose subtle performance is the glue of the film. If you have a sense of humour and a pulse, this movie is for you.

The movie was on cable here in Israel and I thought it had potential -- clash of cultures, conflicting interests between the heirs and the staff, but it went absolutely nowhere. Too bad. It was a half-baked writing effort.

But coming from Canada and knowing how francophones who don't speak a lot of English react when bombarded by anglophones who think they do, I must rate Sylvie Testud's performance as a tour-de-force. She was clicking on the English words she might have been expected to catch, and straining at the rest, just as would happen in real life. This is not easy to achieve and she must be an actress of considerable skills. I would love to see her in a remake of Madame Bovary or something of that nature in English. This girl is as good as they come.

There was one very funny scene in my book so it wasn't a total loss, when the Rudd character reads the fractured French letter he wrote to the staff who could not understand a word of it, except the main one, vendre, causing an uproar.

Of all the things I could say about this film, it would'nt be that it could be called a comedy. Most of the characters are hostile, the girl was beautiful and could turn a gay guy straight, (almost), but there's no redeaming features about the other leads. I could'nt help thinking that Paul Rudd was acting, I thought he was supposed to be a good actor and the Rex character was un-necessarily angry, why all the mfs and s words, otherwise he seemed very classy. The American big shot who was going to buy the chateau was hostile. The real estate agent was wonderful. I liked the actor that played Jean, I see where he has a long list of credits to his resume. Overall the dealogue was rather force and strained (there probably was no script and the actors were "winging it") and when suddenly and out of the blue went into a diatribe about "fags" for no reason at all, it let me know that the writers (outline) really had nothing worth while to say and they are probably very shallow people. On the plus side, the French country side as always (and in film) is beautiful. The cinematography and set design were possitives, The overall feeling was warm and enchanting. Thanks!