French Film

Jed (Hugh Bonneville) writes interviews. His latest being French romance director Thierry Grimandi. He is in a comfortable relationship with his girl Cheryl (Victoria Hamilton) for 10 years. When he asks her to marry him, she says no which sends their relationship spiraling. They get couple counseling where they are asked if they were ever in love. Directo Grimandi's musing on love forces him to reevaluate everything. Their best friends Marcus (Douglas Henshall) and Sophie (Anne-Marie Duff)'s relationship starts with her stopping him from committing suicide. Their bond seems unbreakable but even they are having problems as Marcus seems to be a clueless idiot.

This is a light comedy. It is so light that I didn't laugh much at all. Jed is hopelessly unromantic that he is actually annoying. He is deliberately clueless. Grimandi may be speaking a lot of overly complicated phrases but it's not that hard to understand. The only saving grace is the winning Hugh Bonneville. But even with him, I didn't find any of the relationships that compelling. I can't be required to care more about their relationship than the characters do.

Hugh Bonneville plays a reporter who will interview a French film director whose best works are about love films between men and women. He has been with the same woman, his girlfriend for 10 years and she doesn't want to marry him. His best male friend has reunited with an old girlfriend but is still involved with somebody else/ The film is about the British traditional view of relationships against the French film versions of love and romance. The acting is first rate with co-stars Victoria Hamilton and Ann-Marie Duff. This film was made for British audiences. I was lucky to have got and see only half of it because my DVD copy (I bought it from Blockbuster) at a discount rate before the store closed forever. I would like to know what happened in the end to all of them.

Rare in these days that a film of this depth was successfully made - while still being funny, which will throw some people off because they will assume it's just a frothy romantic comedy with a few pertinent things to say. It even gets better with each successive viewing - which makes a DVD purchase a must for those who understand why this film received two awards at Monte Carlo (for Best Actor and Best Screenplay). May be too subtle for some who are looking for a broad stroke - but it is laughing out loud funny in many parts (if you get the complexity) due to the writing, directing and excellent ensemble cast. They all do well but of special note is Hugh Bonneville (who won for Best Actor at Monte Carlo) as the lead character Jed. Douglas Henshall is his best friend Marcus and Anne-Marie Duff and Victoria Hamilton are the girlfriends.

What starts out as a frustrating to watch romantic comedy grew on me as I realized that the frustration was from a sensation of intensely identifying with the story.

Sure it is a bit wordy and perhaps navel, but so are we. In our intellectual approach to living our so called perfect urban lives. Hugh Bonneville is funny and believable and the character I gravitated towards. Eric Cantona is a bit stiff, but pulls of the role and the chicks love him.

This will play best with 30 something women as a hangover pull your feet up, giggle and reflect kind of film.

Lovely, tender slice of the lives of a well-drawn characters engaged in a neurotic pursuit of real feelings - that is, love. Each well-drawn character is afflicted by the very human condition of an uncertain mind and a vacillating heart. Their insecurities drive their pursuit to know their own heart as they try to stimulate genuine feelings they haven't felt for a long time. Nice pacing, nice cinematography, simple dialog, and very good acting. The film lies astride the merge between wry comedy and tender drama. For me, this is much enjoyable and absorbing film in the tradition of Woody Allen.This is a wonderful take of life and love and a film that resonates in the heart. If you don't enjoy this film, you don't have a heart. Recommended for romantics of all ages. A must-see.