true_reyda I just watched this movie and i felt i had to warn potential watchers : This is by no means a good movie.You may have been lured into seeing it because of Audrey Tautou of Amelie's fame. To put it simple : the scenario is so simple it could have fitted on a post it note. It's about a whimsy girl who tries to get in touch with her spirituality.So she goes from one boyfriend to the other, and each time embraces the religion of his. There are huge problem with the whole plot : we don't know how everything started. There is a tiny little clue about her father being absent, but aside from that, there is no indication of her psychology, her childhood, her past experience of the main character. Nothing. Plus, to be honest she is quite despicable. She is just a spoiled little girl with too much time. At some point she tries to embrace Judaism, and it's the only time the movie conveys any interesting idea. The rest is as shallow and meaningless as the character portrayed by Audrey Tautou. Her male counterpart, a somewhat nihilist but well educated man, portrayed by Edouard Baer really fits in his role, alas the way he tries to seduce again and again a girl which he has rejected twice is simply not believable. How he could be interested by a person which apparently has no brain and exists only through other people's beliefs is beyond our comprehension.We can even sense some possible twists that could occur during certain scenes, but the director is in this case less smart than the viewers : she just misses completely what could have made an interesting movie. Nothing of what french cinema is famous for. Everything that happens here mirrors the ten first minutes. After those ten minutes, the plot will simply not progress in spite of the various shallow characters thrown our way.So what can be said about a movie that brings nothing vaguely looking like character development, that conveys absolutely no message, that is not funny at all (ok, maybe i smiled twice), and portrays a girl with cuteness as her only selling point, to sum it all ? I'd say it's a waste of time, plain and simple. I encourage you to stay away from this movie, and rather stay on the good impression you had when viewing Amélie. Don't buy it, don't rent it : just don't.

captainquality As almost all the other reviews observe, this film is a disappointment, and for mostly the same reasons already mentioned. I would only add a couple other points. First, I do not find Edouard Baer's a sympathetic character at all - he is very pushy and aggressive with Michele (Tautou's character) and it is a real turn-off from the beginning. The age difference between them is obvious and awkward, as Tautou really plays the wide-eyed, ditsy innocent in this film, to Baer's often angry and inscrutable character, not made any clearer by the jump-cut style. (Though I liked the cut and fade style a lot, in most places; it allowed the story to move steadily.) Second, while potentially a deep subject, the "religious quest" element is done in the air of a light romantic comedy, and this is at base slightly inappropriate and not carried off well. Third, the most interesting relationships in the film are arguably those between Michele and her troubled family, where we might see some healing and emotional growth, but these are not well and clearly developed at all. Michele has serious father issues, a primary source of her vulnerability which makes Baer's pursuit of her smack of exploitation and pedophilia.The above flaws in combination result in the impression that, though the work of a woman - Pascale Bailly - the film comes off slightly misogynistic. Tautou's character is made fun of, and not redeemed by positive developments in the story. Baer treats her like a child and is not disciplined by the story line for doing so; indeed, in the inconclusive ending we see him pushing himself on her again, with the hint that he will likely be allowed to succeed. Tautou really shines and is a pleasure to watch, but basically no other element of the film works well. Pas de cigare.

Lisa Like everyone else who has written in, I watched this film (and Happenstance) because I had seen Amelie and had fallen in love with Tautou and was hoping to relive the Amelie experience. This movie is as close as I have come, but of course, NOT Amelie. The fun parts of this movie were: learning about the Jewish faith through the eyes of a non-Jew, hoping that Tautou and Baer really do end up together, and I must mention all of Tautou's awesome outfits and hairstyles as a French "top model." Very fun! The movie a few interesting cinematic moments from a style standpoint, too. I felt that I got confused about the plot at points due to the back-and-forth cut sequences and thought maybe I missed something in translation? Or maybe it was just weak storytelling? Or maybe Americans like me just need to be led by the nose through the plot a little more? The great surprise for me was Edouard Baer. He is handsome, charming, gentle, and caring in his role of Francois, and I immediately fell in love with him myself. The movie nicely balances comedy and seriousness and has sat well with me in the days after watching it. As long as you're not expecting Amelie: The Prequel, I think you can watch this and enjoy the fun and beauty Tautou brings to the screen.

jenniferrehfeldt Audrey will never be able to play the great and wonderful character of Amelie again. Happenstance and this movie are HORRIBLE. Both movies have made me want to leave, but instead I end up staying to find out if her cute and adorable self ever comes out. Her hair is awful usually. Maybe it's just because of the director and her awful choice of script is why this movie blows. Either way, do not waste your time or money on this.