I chose to give this film a go, for the simple reason that Sophie Marceau is a beautiful woman and I like her acting. I find Cluzet rather repugnant though, he has that same ick factor as Dustin Hoffman, always looks dirty and swarthy. Nevertheless the story begins well, with the two of them meeting, and having that immediate spark. They become accomplices in a search for scoring cigarette paper from someone, at a party full of boring upper middle class professionals, so that they can roll a joint and get high together. Unfortunately as the film evolves, they turn out to be rather boring orthodox minded professionals themselves.
Sophie's character disappoints because her children are the typical spoilt, mobile addicted, media jaded kids whose French (language) is atrocious - very aggressive sounding, in stark contrast to the beauty of well spoken French. Cluzot's character can't break away from a dull marriage and although he is supposed to be a smart lawyer does not have the guts and / or intelligence to discuss this with his wife and just break up and begin afresh with his new love.
I thought that since it's a French film, the extra-marital love tryst would be a bit more rebellious and unconventional, and not end in the same moralistic tone as do most Hollywood rom coms. What a difference from the 80s French films where society's values were turned upside down completely and alternative solutions were presented.
Another pet peeve of mine, films that are spiked with songs, to the point where every other scene is underscored by one, as an easy way of conveying a sentiment to the viewer, when a director doesn't know how to bring this about by using his actors and allowing them to use the full range of their skills without lots of noise and chaos polluting their performance.
Sophie's character disappoints because her children are the typical spoilt, mobile addicted, media jaded kids whose French (language) is atrocious - very aggressive sounding, in stark contrast to the beauty of well spoken French. Cluzot's character can't break away from a dull marriage and although he is supposed to be a smart lawyer does not have the guts and / or intelligence to discuss this with his wife and just break up and begin afresh with his new love.
I thought that since it's a French film, the extra-marital love tryst would be a bit more rebellious and unconventional, and not end in the same moralistic tone as do most Hollywood rom coms. What a difference from the 80s French films where society's values were turned upside down completely and alternative solutions were presented.
Another pet peeve of mine, films that are spiked with songs, to the point where every other scene is underscored by one, as an easy way of conveying a sentiment to the viewer, when a director doesn't know how to bring this about by using his actors and allowing them to use the full range of their skills without lots of noise and chaos polluting their performance.