Reviews

We picked this movie more or less at random not having heard of it. Glad we did. As with many European movies, this is entertainment directed at adults, not 12 year-olds. So yes, there is nudity and sexual references, but it is in good taste and not at all ''bathroom'' humour.

The cast is simply wonderful. Terrific acting from everyone. And a host of little out-of-the-blue surprises here and there, such as the seamless integration of written text in the visual, and the insertion of scholarly statements by philosophers about love. Nothing at all gimmicky about it. They all work very well to advance the story.

One negative note: this is a French film, with French characters and the action is happening in France.. but the music is mostly all in English! Even Michel Legrand, for God sake, sings the English-language versions of his songs. Heavy accent and all! It seems so contrived.(Keep in mind that I am referring to the original French version of this film, not an English-language adaptation)

This off my chest, let me return to my first comments and reiterate my enthusiasm for this very entertaining movie.

A keep-looking-at-your-watch film.

Save for two elements, the performance of Hoffman (as for Phoenix, anybody can play a drunk) and the musical score, this movie is a bore. Hoffman is brilliant, filling the screen in every scene, and totally burying his slurring acolyte. The songs are reminiscent of an era where melody and poetry characterized popular music.

Irrationality has its place in cinema, but in content not format. The story drags the viewer through a never-ending series of drunken encounters. The efforts of the director is best encapsulated by the remark of one of the characters about his father's message to his cult followers : ''He is making it up as he goes along''. Indeed.