User reviews

An interesting film with a solid storyline, interesting cinematography, and compelling performances that draw you into the whole effort.

At first I feared the numerous plot twists and turns were going to be too convenient or too obvious as false flags, but the writer and director handled things adeptly when all was said and done.

The three main characters were extremely engaging, and ably supported by the minor players. If you like expressive eyes and two-edged dialog, this is an evening out well spent.

Highly recommended, especially if you need an excuse to start liking the French... (which means you haven't seen Amelie yet). ;-)

A multifaceted story which - apart from being interesting, well filmed and well acted - keeps the spectator getting ideas about what is really happening, just to have those ideas destroyed a few minutes later. Everything is thrown in: personal stories, criminal events, the French publishing world, sex and romance in a complex and fascinating whirlpool that ensures that you'll pay close attention. Highly enjoyable film, which is and yet is not a "film noir". The main male character can be offputting, which is not surprising, considering that he might be - underline "might" - a serial killer. The female roles are very good, with Fanny Ardant in a superb performance. If you think you'd like an intriguing movie that requires you to think, don't miss it.

Judith Ralitzer (Fanny Ardant) is a major French writer, or so the world thinks. The truth is that another writer, Pierre (Dominique Pinon) has been "ghosting" her books for seven years. The duo are to meet in Cannes to discuss their future endeavors. Ms. Ralitzer was also once married to a wealthy vineyard owner who died relatively young. Did she have anything to do with his death? Meanwhile, Huguette (Audrey Dana) is traveling with her doctor-fiancé to her parents' home in southern France. Alas, they have a big fight and Huguette is abandoned by her intended at a petrol station. In the station's coffee shop, she meets a kind gentleman who offers her a ride. What she doesn't know is that a serial killer, who employed magic tricks to snare his victims, has escaped from a French prison. Should she accept this stranger's offer? At this same moment, too, a Parisian wife reports that her husband is missing and doesn't know which way to turn. However, she does like the looks of the detective assigned to the case! This is an intriguing film with plenty of energy and suspense. The cast is quite nice, also, with Ardant giving a nice turn as the arrogant writer. Dana, too, makes a beautiful, mixed-up heroine. Pinon does not have the looks of a leading man but is quite fine as the major male lead while the rest of the cast is more than adequate. Naturally, the scenery in France is beautiful but one might be surprised at the rustic nature of Huguette's family abode where there is not the least hint of sophistication. One must also compliment the well-chosen costumes, the fascinating script and the sure direction of Claude Leloush. If you are searching for a film that will render an alternative movie experience from the standard Hollywood fare, do roam to the theater and plunk down some dough for this one. You will not be disappointed.

Greetings again from the darkness. Excellent bit of storytelling and film-making from French master Claude Lelouche. This one has a bit of trickery in its approach and will force you to pay attention to details as you get the story and characters straight.

With some similarities (but not quite at the level of) "Swimming Pool", this one crawls inside the mind of a novelist and we are treated to quite a ride! Magicians, Serial Killers, Runaway husbands, Suicide, Murder, Romantic affairs, Pig slaughter, Family quarrels ... well you get the idea. This one has much to offer and will keep your attention as you attempt to assemble all the pieces.

Very strong acting from Dominique Pinon as Laclos. Pinon is not in the Hollywood tradition of leading men, but he is fascinating to behold. Myriam Boyer as the female lead is very strong in her less than balanced character who tries desperately to please her mother. Fanny Ardant has the pivotal role of the famous novelist, Judith Ralitzer, whose next novel brings all the characters to the cross tracks.

If you enjoy a complicated, multi-faceted story line and some offbeat characters, then you will probably find the same level of enjoyment that I found.

The successful novelist Judith Ralitzer (Fanny Ardant) is interrogated in the police station about the disappearance of her ghost-writer. A serial-killer escapes from a prison in Paris. A missing school teacher leaves his wife and children. In the road, the annoying and stressed hairdresser Hughette (Audrey Dana) is left in a gas station by her fiancé Paul while driving to the poor farm of her family in the country. A mysterious man (Dominique Pinon) offers a ride to her and she invites him to assume the identity of Paul during 24 hours to not disappoint her mother. Who might be the unknown man and what is real and what is fiction?

"Roman de Gare" is an intriguing and suspenseful story with many twists and a reasonable resolution. The first part while the identity of the aspirant magician is unknown is great, with a good performance of the unknown and gorgeous Audrey Dana in the role of a complex character. When Pierre Laclos vanishes and Judith's novel becomes a best-seller, I really expected a better explanation for what happened in the yacht. But the movie is very entertaining and recommended. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Crimes de Autor" ("Crimes of Author")

ROMAN DE GARE has a lot going for it. Start with one of France's biggest stars, "jolie/laid" (beautiful/ugly) Fanny Ardant. Add Domique Pignon, the brilliant and quirky circus performer turned actor who starred in DELICATESSIN, CITY OF LOST CHILDREN, and AMELIE. Add Audrey Dana as Hugette, a lovely "rocker chick next door" type & hairdresser wannabe, who gives a knock-your-socks-off performance in one of the most interesting victim roles written for a woman in years. Add a fantastic, complex, multi-layered mystery-thriller script that holds your interest and is tight-as-a-drum.

Toss in a serial killer on the loose, a husband who has walked out on his job/wife/and child, a ghost writer for a famous author, a handsome policeman in love with an overweight housewife, a murder, and a brother/sister magic act. Finally, the core of this film takes us to the kind of French countryside we never see... French "hill country" that is like a ramshackle farm in West Virginia, where education is poor, and the house a modified stable.

Instead of being a mess, all of these elements pull together so simply in a way that feels everyday and natural; because ultimately this film is about the complexity of modern life.

For those who like to look deeper, we have the significant, meaningful themes of "wanting to run away from your life," and the modern inability to know who anyone really is - the essential modern mistrust. Ardant's character doesn't even know who she is herself, and it is shown in persistent yet such subtle ways throughout.

For those who don't like to look deeply, the good news is that you don't have to. ROMAN DE GARE glides along and keeps you engaged throughout. It keeps you guessing... we know we are seeing one of the books being talked about, but we don't even know for sure which book we are watching.

The film SWIMMING POOL mined similar territory in the literary world and has a mind-bending ending that alters your perception of the whole film. We are set up for that kind of ending here, and I left feeling disappointed. It is only now, several days later that I feel this is one of the most deft and well orchestrated films I've seen in years. We go from a yacht in Cannes to a highway rest stop, and there is no "comment" on the social contrasts, it just is. To have it all feel organic and natural is the real magicians art - the work of a confident and mature filmmaker.

The production values are as high as you would expect with big stars in the leads. The costuming touches say so much. The hairdresser's trashy trendy high-heeled boots, Ardan'ts frankly fake wigs and obvious foundation makeup are the touches that speak to the inner personality. The fact that "Hugette" is the smallest woman is worth noticing.

Really modern. Really complex. Really entertaining. Really Real. See it.

"Roman De Gare" is Lelouch's best movie since his good comedy/thrillers of the seventies ("Le Voyou" "LE Chat Et La Souris" "LA Bonne Année".)

It must be the screenplay:for it does not present itself as typifying a new Lelouch approach;the group of people ,some of whom having a thin connection between them is as old as the hills in Lelouch's filmography from "Toute Une Vie" to "Les Uns ET Les Autres";the reality/fiction subject was already broached in "Edith And Marcel" a forerunner of "La Mome";Lelouch's fondness for French song is also to be found here (represented by a Gilbert Becaud mini-repertoire ,which has no real connection with the plot;in the past,it was Sacha Distel,Johnny Hallyday and ,yuk ,Mireille Mathieu.)The "things are not what they seem" topic was the main interest of the 1970 effort "le Voyou" and continued with such works as "Viva La Vie" .

And yet,the impression left by the movie as a whole is a definitely more balanced ,poised and modest Lelouch.Once this would have been thought a downright incongruity ,even an impossibility -the movie was first shown as a work made by an anonymous director - ,neither desirable nor likely.But now,it seems Lelouch is on the right track again.

Gone are the pretensions of the mammoth movies ,the likes of "Les Uns Et Les Autres" ;Gone is the blandness of psychological dramas such as "Et Si C'Etait A Refaire" ;instead the viewer rejoices in the presence of wonderful lines sometimes worthy of Guitry and Jeanson.I remember TRuffaut telling Lelouch "UN Homme Et Une Femme " was the best New Wave movie;terse answer by Lelouch :"I hate N.W" ;which was rebellious at the time at least artistically.

If an influence can be felt in "Roman De Gare" ,it's that of the superior old school.Long before Lelouch ,Julien Duvivier had invented the movie made of subplots which became a seamless whole in the end .It was obvious in "Sous Le Ciel De Paris" (1951).But the movie Lelouch borrows from is arguably the overlooked and largely ignored Duvivier's "La Fete A Henriette"(1952) in which two screenwriters play a part which Dominique Pinon's role recalls.Lelouch is no match for Duvivier, he has not got his pessimism ,and he adds a detective side ,but to mention Jeanson,Guitry or Duvivier in a Lelouch review indicates that the director can age gracefully.As historian Patrick Brion wrote "LA Fete A Henriette" was plundered (and remade three times,a record for a FRench movie).Lelouch did use some elements of the movie with care and talent.

A stellar cast gives the movie much substance:Dominique Pinon is the stand-out the only French actor who is both ugly and handsome ;Myriam Boyer is the crude peasant whose only obsession is that "her son-in-law believes in God.She proves herself smarter than she first appeared,noticing that the "Jew" eats pork and that this "physician cannot stand the sight of blood" .A short-haired Fanny Ardant is cast as a writer called Judith Ralitzer (a hint at "Pulitzer" or at the "Romans De Gare" of writer Paul Loup Sulitzer?).

Witty,funny and intriguing:if someone had told me I 'd like a Lelouch movie in the naughties....

In this French thriller, a ghost-writer and a school teacher go missing and a serial killer escapes from prison, although it's not known which one of these three the main character is. The premise is intriguing but the setup is somewhat convoluted. Lelouch has been making films for a long time but he seems unsure here of where he wants to go with this film. Perhaps someone like Claude Chabrol could have made this more interesting. Ultimately, the film tries to be too clever and does not deliver on its initial promise. Pinon is a peculiar-looking actor (he could pass for Jean-Paul Belmondo's midget son) and seems an odd choice to play the protagonist here.

Roman de gare is a very complex film that begins almost too convoluted, but ends on a perfect note of closure. A story about a man on a journey for research on his next book becomes a visualization of the same suspense aspects he is manifesting in his head for the novel. We as an audience are hard-pressed to decide whether this man is truly a writer, a teacher who has left his school and family behind, an escaped serial killer magician, or, yes, God himself. Much like the soon to be lead role in his latest masterpiece of fiction, he actually becomes each one, playing the parts at just the right time until we finally see how everything that occurs has been orchestrated by his actions. It is not that he meant for it all to happen, no, chance and fate played a part as well. However, when all is said and done, Pierre Laclos has put his hands to the dough and molded a series of events in the real world to mirror the freedom he has in his mind when composing his thrillers. An unlikely God, Laclos takes himself seriously for once and decides to step out of the shadows that have been shrouding him for too long. The ghost is ready to take shape.

The first twenty minutes or so of this film can be quite disorienting. Timelines jump and characters appear and disappear making way for a completely different set of people to take center stage. What is shown becomes so oddly juxtaposed that I began to think this was to be a sort of Lynchian piece, showing multiple planes of reality, maybe even visualizing the novel in conjunction with the author's search for inspiration. The fact that we are introduced to the celebrated writer Judith Ralitzer straight away, talking about her new novel God, The Other, yet are soon whisked to meet Laclos as he travels just after the release of her previous book, confusing us as to where we are in time, begins to make us question what is real and what is not. Allusions to a killer magician and the disappearance of a woman's husband plant the seeds that our hero Laclos could be some sort of nefarious creature, playing a role with the young woman he kindly drives home after her blowup with her fiancé. Maybe this is the man that abandoned his family, or maybe he is the killer that murdered said man and took his identity, or maybe still he is neither and just a pawn in the hands of the filmmaker. My mind was racing trying to work out what might be happening, but thankfully as the story progresses, these questions are answered, every single thread finds a connection to each other—and not in the simple ways you assume they will—and the tale hits its stride as it sticks to one present time until finding its way back to the beginning of the film, which in reality is the end of the story.

That last convoluted paragraph might have your mind reeling now before you even experience the film itself, but rest assured, it all does make sense. Roman de gare isn't some trite piece with its only goal being to manipulate and confuse, no, it does have a place it wants to go to and eventually reaches that destination. Every move is carefully orchestrated and infuses a lot of humor with the dark subject matter being portrayed. When you hear the description that will be used for the back of the book jacket of God, The Other, just remember it because I could have probably copied those words down here and it would have served perfectly as a review of the film. Because in essence, the novel being written as the movie goes on is the movie itself. Like that scene in Spaceballs when they decide to watch the movie they are in and eventually find themselves on a live feed as they fast-forwarded too far—that is this film. What is shown to us is what is written in the book, even that which happens after its publishing. It is the perfect crime in double.

Writer/director Claude Lelouch has crafted a very special thing here, always keeping the viewers on their toes, surprising even when it is obvious what will happen next. I will admit to never having heard of this former Oscar winning screenwriter, but suffice it to say, he has been added to my consciousness to try a seek his previous and future work. The story is what really succeeds, but it couldn't have done it without a really well versed cast. Fanny Ardent is great as Ralitzer, conniving and persuasive, you can never tell what she is capable of and in some instances aren't given the opportunity to find out as other characters are one step ahead of her; Audrey Dana is gorgeous and affecting as Huguette, the heroine of the film and novel alike; and Dominique Pinon is wonderful as always playing Laclos, stealing the show with his affable charm and kind heart—no one plays the ordinary man alive with life better. A common face amongst the work of auteur Jenuet, Pinon shows that he can carry a movie and hopefully will continue to do so in the years to come.

This is a delectable story about various characters whose paths cross in unusual ways. The film begins with an auto driver furiously rushing through the streets of Paris at night, violating numerous traffic rules. A high-speed drive through an underpass, with the mesmerizing stripes in a lane-separating gore, evoke the manner of Lady Di's fatal crash years before. When Haguette (Audrey Dana), a hairdresser, claims to have done Lady Di's hair, one wonders if the director inserted the underpass scene with that in mind. The movie goes a little overboard in presenting the beauty of the female leads: After a heated quarrel with her husband, Haguette is stranded at a highway fuel station where she spends several lonely hours. Then after a lift by a stranger, she gets out of the car, and lo and behold, her hair and makeup are perfect. What magic mascara that doesn't smudge is she wearing? Similarly for the best-seller author Judith (Fanny Ardent): soft focus presents her visage in perfect form. The director, whose film themes tend to focus on love, can perhaps be forgiven for such liberties. The director is best at keeping the viewer guessing. Is the stranger who gave Haguette a lift the pedophile who attracts his victims by doing magic tricks? Just what are the two perfect crimes described in the latest novel by Judith? The packaging of the DVD at Blockbuster seemed new, so perhaps it just came to the U.S. market. The DVD contains a bonus section that reviews Lelouch's film career. This added feature contains little-known tidbits, like the fact that his first several films were failures. His success, at age 27, with "Un homme et une femme" launched him into a career of some 30 films.

After the unfair successive failure of the aborted trilogy of "La Comédie Humaine", we thought that Claude Lelouch was broke for a long time whereas Roman de Gare is released less than 2 years after "le courage d'aimer", the second and final opus of the forecast trilogy. Shot in secret with a nom de plume, Roman de Gare recalls a little of the freshness of the Lelouch of the 60's, but also lacks of the grandeur we were used to: the image quality is pretty poor, the cast is not all stars, though Fanny Ardant, Truffaud's egerie is superb as usual, we feel Lelouch had really little money to shoot; not a great music as usual(late Gilbert Becaud was a respected French singer, but the choice of the songs does not highlight the scenes to my feelings), the story is centered on a murder story, but is actually a pretext to demonstrate once more the human and love relations that the director is famous to be a passionate of. Not the greatest Lelouch, but not boring either due mainly to an unusual funny script and a pretty good acting.

Love mysteries with loads of plot twists? Here is the film for you. Claude Lelouch (A Man & A Woman)has crafted a finely honed thriller, with a top notch cast that takes us in the mind of a writer,who may or may not have some dubious means of collecting ideas for her novels. There are loads of other characters tossed in to make this a film to keep you both thinking,as well as on the edge of your seat. Fanny Ardant (always welcome in any French film) plays the writer to perfection. Dominique Pinot plays a pivotal figure who may (or may not) be a serial rapist. The rest of the cast also turns in some finer than fine performances. Dammit, let's face it...there is a pathetic lack of films like this produced in Hollywood (or as I sometimes prefer to refer it to Hollywierd). I guess as long as there is quality films being produced in Europe (or Asia,Africa,or where ever),there is no lack of films to be enjoyed,out there.

When I can, I try to come here shortly after having seen a movie before I can intelectualise it too much or...forget half of it. I have just watched "Roman de Gare", came home and checked IMDb! Having left France at 27 and some 40 years now. Roman de Gare pointed me in the direction of romantic story in trains or train stations. I guess I was partly on the right track but reading other's comment I do agree with "typical Novel one would buy at the station to fill time on the train journey". (I'm not familiar with "airport novel" but imagine it must be very similar) All this,though, did not prepare me much for what was to come. I did enjoy the "trip" but I had some reservation about the twists and turns it took. I do mind improvisations that mislead almost solely for the sake of misleading. Personally I would have preferred to see these improvisations done in a much smarter way instead of being there just because we are told these 'situations' are there with 'would be' links but we have to guess what is what.

I probably would have enjoy the story just as much or even better if it had been simpler but kept the main element in one direction. Instead I found we were told a fairly straight forward story with, a lot of adds on that really did not do much beside confusing the audience but to lead to a rather conventional ending. It is possible I'll have a different reaction on a second viewing, however today, I had a good time but I found there was something not quite right for me.

This bewilderingly enjoyable film tracks an acclaimed author, her ghost writer, and a frustrated, rebellious young woman as a coincidental encounter at a rest stop intrudes upon the dainty, fragile poise of their lives. Jean-Pierre Jeunet regular Dominique Pinon takes an unusual turn as the film's male lead. The suspense revolves around the identity of the obliging man meaning to give a ride to the deserted young woman at the roadside rest stop. There are no less than three likelihoods. One of them is extremely dangerous seeing as he could be a rapist/murderer. What can we accept as true, and when can we? No one can even find common ground with the English translation of the title. I have heard that it is French slang for "trashy novel one reads in a train or train station." I have been told by a fluent French-speaker that it means "war story." I have read that it means "airport novel."

Pinon is an absorbing actor. Through having the face of an aborted phoetus who has somehow survived and gone on to lead a normal life, a gaunt beard and a modest, indicative comportment, he matches she who spends the most time on screen with him, Audrey Dana. Dana is an unknown actress, sexy beyond belief, just humming with ardor and talent. The third central role goes to Fanny Ardant, who has a mystique that allows the film to let us wonder just what to think of her until the very end.

When a movie like Roman De Gare succeeds, it's inspired, deceiving and crafty. When it doesn't, it's just blowing smoke. This film is entirely driven by a carefully weaved plot, and it is intended solely to keep us wondering and then surprise us, but despite its later slips into silliness, I think I understand the alternative realities of the plot, and I concede the loose ends are tied up, sort of. One person who sees this movie could feel that just one of the characters played by Pinon would have been enough for this movie but not in both of them interchangeably. But there is a lot of creativity and exacting work that goes into a thriller that doesn't quite give us a place to stand. Because of its carefully manipulated ambiguity, we care about Huguette because we believe that one of two things is for sure: Her favorite novelist is a fraud or her daughter may be in grave danger.

Roman De Gare may not be tight as a drum as far as thrillers go, but I had a great time as someone who went with a friend on impulse into a six-screen moviehouse to see it without any knowledge of its plot or cast, experiencing a story completely removed from any formula or convention. It is very engaging and diverting till the final credits, during which the camera is still rolling, in a peaceful sense.

If you enjoy mysteries in which the author misleads you, you might like this movie. Technically it's fine, and the players are agreeable, although the leading man doesn't look like a leading man and may not even fit the conventional definition. This I would consider a very positive point in another movie.

But for this one I had a problem. The writer/director has complete control over the "reality" of the film, and so can do anything he wants with it, but I found the manipulation to be irritating. I can't go into details because I want to keep spoiler-free, but there is suspense which is suspenseful only because the creator decided to mislead, and some of the action involved didn't really make much sense. Now when Hitchcock misleads us in Vertigo, for instance, he gives us a resolution which makes everything we've seen up to then suddenly come together and make sense. Here, when we discover we've been misled, we've just been misled and what we've seen and heard to mislead us played no other role than to mislead.

That applies more or less to the first part of the film. The second part is a more conventional murder mystery, which I found extremely predictable in its "suprise" resolution.

France is a country where every person thinks of himself/herself as a writer or a writer in making as intellectualism runs high in French society.This is one of the reasons why book publishing industry is a major business in France which can give severe headaches to other leading traditional businesses such as cheese,wine and tourism.It does not matter to some writers that their books are not read extensively. It is precisely this artistic predicament French author Claude Lelouch has attempted to depict in his latest film "Roman De Gare"/Crossed Tracks.It is a pity that such a film with some cogent inventive elements falls flat primarily due to its technical as well as artistic shortcomings. One of the plausible reasons could be the fact that "Roman De Gare" is very much French in nature. A viewer should have a fairly good idea of French culture and language in order to comprehend hidden sub-themes.There are no many non Francophones who would be aware of culturally relevant facts such as : a) Gilbert Bécaud is a famous french singer, b) Pierre Ambroise François Choderlos De Laclos wrote "Les Liaisons Dangereuses", c) Serge Moati is not effective when he parodies French talk show host Michel Drucker's famous "Vivement Dimanche" show. Is it a mere coincidence that Claude Lelouch has decided to name his film's protagonist as Pierre Laclos ? A thriller is bound to fail if it does not have universal appeal.A glaring example of Frenchiness in "Roman De Gare" is revealed in scenes where we behold writers drafting their books on a luxury yacht sipping champagne unlike great writers of the past who toiled enormously in order to get their works acclaimed. In the past, Claude Lelouch has made better works. His film "La Belle Histoire" is a great exercise in occult film-making. It is rather unfortunate that "Roman De Gare" could not turn out to be a piece of cake for Mr. Claude Lelouch as he is no Alfred Hitchcock of France. A word about casting which is a downright disaster. It is great that Dominique Pinon has bagged the biggest role of his career but it is wasted as "Roman De Gare" is full of banal dialogs. Fanny Ardant acts so badly that one can easily hazard a guess that her mentor Monsieur Truffaut must be shamelessly groveling in his grave. She appears more as a boring jet-set socialite who does not know anything about writing. There is some air of crime,wine,book and cinema which would surely keep audiences on edge of their seats but after a while everything would become plain. This is something which audiences must keep in mind when they go to watch this film.