The Château

I really enjoyed this unconventional film. I found the hand-held camera work and video quality of film suited the narrative and tone and the actors did very convincing jobs of the characters they portrayed. The french/American culture clash was done to great comic effect. Paul Rudd was brilliant as well as Romany Malco and Sylvie Testud, whose work I was not familiar with. I've been wanting to see this movie since it came out and I was not disappointed. If you are up for something a little more off the cuff than what usually come out of America, you will be glad to find this movie. It seems like a really good student film with great acting that actually got the resources necessary to see the film through as it was conceived of.

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...

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.

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!

Had its moments, but by and large, I was disappointed. Paul Rudd makes an idiot out of himself, prattling on and on and ON AND ON, not only in broken French, but also in English. I can't help feeling just a little embarrassed for him. I also can't help feeling that he should somehow apologize for making Americans look like bumbling idiots and for doing anything but helping to improve American-French relations (whatever state they happen to be in).