Some films remind you of so many other movies that it's hard to begin typing them... This one could be a French version of "Love Actually", that masterful "comedy of airports". "josymontmartre-1" is right about everything, the trivial plot, the clichés, the stereotyped characters. But nevertheless I liked it :)! Sorry intelligentsia, one can enjoy "popcorn" films when they're well made, and this is just that.
Three favourite scenes you may like: beautiful shot at the Canadian lake of Carole Bouquet, Max analyzing himself on his own couch (he's a shrink), and Fanny's confessions on the public bathroom with the toilet lady. The contrast between her formal attire, her wish to please, and the tiny walls with graffiti is well crafted.
Carole Bouquet's catty and so otherwordly beauty could heighten ANY movie, in here she's "Julia", a violinist with two very disparate daughters, bourgeois Ornella (Mélanie Thierry, from "La princesse de Montpensier") and Anna, leading a completely different life, and of course, disliking each other until ... By the way, the usage of pop songs in this film is terrific.
Pierre Arditti's performance is the hidden gem of this movie. We've seen him on MANY films, but here it's fabulous to watch his transformation from a Parisian writer, neurotic, narcissistic and abusing to a charming "drageur". Of course, he's seen Julia :)!
Alexandra London's "Maria", her long-suffering maid, is probably in love with him, but he trashes her and throws the food she just cooked as his routine, just before asking for fast food/ Chinese by phone (he knows the menu's codes by heart). This is obviously is the only contact with the outside world he has, besides his editor, also despised by this "Author" of course.
Michel Londsdale is also one of those famous great actors that could lift any movie. I'd have liked more screen time to his romance with Fanny Pelletier. I liked her close relationship with André, the hairdresser, a funny "comic relief", but also touching. Like the glimpse of her house, pink walls, and teenage decor, while she says: "I've always been a child", to which Andre replies: "That's the problem", knowingly, before making her the best present she could have.
We've seen them before making similar roles, but, a bit like friends who may be telling you the same old story, but you hear them with interest, because you always find something new in the old, you'll enjoy watching this two hot actors here. Bombshell Anne Marivin, yes, from the French blockbuster "Welcome to the Sticks" is a naive fresh young woman who's a bit lost in the world, emotional, alone. Patrick Mille, the gay friend (JP) from the TV series Clara Scheller, is here also a sensitive dad, always with the perfect attitude to his little daughter, played to perfection by "Clara Barbosa". It's rare to find a child actor play so naturally, so watch out for this girl.
Then we have Lila's 3 super friends, from which Nathalie Richard (from the fabulous 3 femmes... TV series) stands out.
This is "Amanda Sthers" 's first movie, which she also wrote, and already shows her as an able "summoner of talents". I only hope to watch more of her films.
Summing up, I'll quote an IMDb reviewer, John 575 from Australia: "attractive to the eye, ear and soul". Régis Blondeau's great cinematography can be admired from the nice beginning when Julia is looking at a beautiful if blue Paris but can only see a colorful image of two children, probably her own, with a tinge of nostalgia. "Sinclair"s music also creates ambiance.
Enjoy it!
PS: To this same IMDb reviewer : Who is / How can you be so sure about "one gay son"? I mean, Olivier, the perfect father and book editor, if you've seen the whole movie, well.. Can't say more but, I just don't see it. Readers can comment of course :)!
