De vrais mensonges

This is a light romantic comedy from France that actually does have a few edges. Which means it's not too straightforward, but it also means that it has some story developments that might not be to your liking. Especially if you believe the cover text (about this having the heights of Amelie).

Do not even think about Amelie (it might seem difficult but our Amelie sweetheart is capable of being someone else too), because this will spoil your movie experience. I liked this a lot because, the characters seem so real and therefor you really feel for the people/characters and what they are going through. Not everyones taste obviously this is a nice touch on a genre :o)

What could the director of a romantic comedy in 2010 wish more than to have in the cast Nathalie Baye and Audrey Tautou in the roles of a mother and a daughter entangled in a love intrigue that has as its object (or the third tip of the triangle if you want) the same man? Film director Pierre Salvadori (also the co-author of the script) had this opportunity and the result did not live up to my expectations. 'De vrais mensonges' (meaning 'True Lies' although the title chosen for the English version is 'Beautiful Lies', probably to avoid the conflict with the American 'True Lies' featuring Schwarzenegger and Jamie Lee Curtis) manages to be just an acceptable summer comedy in which the best thing is the presence of the two actresses, still leaving the feeling that they are used below their exceptional potential.

The biggest problem of Audrey Tautou's career may be the fact that she realized so early a role unique in beauty and emotion as 'Amélie'. The result was that the scenarios offered later, and sometimes the directions, also tried to emulate that success. To add to the confusion (maybe intentionally) in 'De vrais mensonges' the heroine is called ... Emilie, kind of an Amelie ten years later who tries to do exactly what Amelie did, that is to make everyone around her happy and first of all her mother (Nathalie Baye) traumatized by the fact that her husband (Emilie's father) had left her for a much younger woman. However, Emily neglects herself, including her own feelings. When in the beauty salon she owns she hires a maintenance man who turns out to be much more than that and who secretly falls in love with her, the premises are ripe for a comedy of situations having at the center a triangle of insecure lovers who send each other anonymous letters, lie to each other, suffer and deceive those around them, but especially lie to and deceive themselves.

Acting is up to the expectations. Audrey Tautou continues to mesmerize us with her unique eyes and tangles in the complications created by her own kindness, while Nathalie Baye adds to her record another role as a mature woman who struggles with courage and partial success with age, keeping her beauty and sex appeal. The triangle is completed by Sami Bouajila in the role of Jean, the romantic electrician who also turns out to be a polyglot and the owner of an impressive library. However, the main problem of the film is the schematic approach and the simplistic comic of situations. The idea of the epistolary misunderstanding is an excellent starting point, but what follows does not exceed the level of a television sitcom, and actually not a very successful one. what a pity. This movie could have been much more interesting than it came out.

This film is about a salon owner who uses a desperately wants her mother to get over her father falling in love with someone 20 years younger. She writes an anonymous love letter to cheer her mother up, with disastrous results.

Throughout the film, "Beautiful Lies" (as it is called in Hong Kong) maintains an upbeat and lovable atmosphere. The deceits of beautiful intentions are so beautiful to watch. Emilie is beautiful, charming and mischievous, while Jacques is reserved, intellectual and charming. The mother is vibrant and attractive when her spirits are lifted up. The film is full of love, not just romantic love, but love for friends, acquaintances and parents too. And it is funny as well!

Beautiful to see these guys getting entangled in the lies. More hilarious at the beginning and then get more serious toward the end, although still amusing. Fun to watch but in real life, I would give them a shake.

Is it a coincidence that Ms. Tautou is named Émilie (sounds like Amélie)? Is it a coincidence that she has the same gamin-tomboy look with her cropped hair as Amelie? Somehow I think it is intentional.

Alas, where the similarities to Amélie are evident they are the only thing they have in common. Unfortunately one similarity that is glaringly missing is the sheer energy of Ms. Tautou's' former director and mentor, Jean-Pierre Jeunet. Whereas Jeunet is like a brightly illuminated comet hurtling through the sky, Pierre Salvadori's style is more akin to a slow moving iceberg. And that is what the film is - an iceberg.

Nearly all good romantic comedies have some essential ingredients: energy, dynamism, warmth, identifiable characters, quick-fire humour and empathy - think Bridget Jones, Notting Hill et al,. Sadly none of these ingredients are present. Not even the exceptional Nathalie Baye is able to drag this film from the doldrums. It is nothing more than a montage of scenes where very little happens or engages the viewer. Clearly Sami Bouajila did his best but his forte is serious drama and that's where he should stay.

The one shining light in the film is Judith Chemla. With her very expressive face and mannerisms she has a promising future.

It is quite sad that Ms. Tautou has concentrated on 'glamour' films since leaving Jeunet - "Coco Before Channel", "Priceless". At heart she is an exceptional comedy actor. Regretfully Salvadori is not the director who can direct and showcase her talents. Unless she wants to stay on the periphery of French cinema Ms. Tautou needs to ask herself how best can she deploy her many talents.