monesque Everything about this is a little off kilter, which I mean in the very best way. The characters proceed as if in a fantasy and it all winds up in hilarious scenes. A Rom-Com with a difference, this is hard to categorize.

vostf How can people stand watching such abysmal film-making? It is an insult to any kid trying to tell an original story that, for over 15 years, Emmanuel Mouret has been making those bad empty supposedly sentimental unmoving pictures.The story is classic high-brow sentimental, but it is executed with so little talent: dead-flat dialogue, dumb-numb directing. And seriously, watching Sir Emmanuel Mouret with his unflappable Droopy dead-pan for more than 5 minutes is quite a pain.Actually this kind of movie is for pretentious sociopaths who revel in stuff that they, the True Believers only, can appreciate.

johno-21 I saw this last month at the 2009 Palm Springs International Film Festival and of the 36 films I attended this would be in my top three. Not because it is skillfully executed art film or a masterfully crafted film with dynamic acting performances or with stunning art direction and cinematography and sound but simply because it so simple, original and extremely funny. I really enjoyed this romantic comedy farce from writer/director/actor Emmanuel Mouret who cast himself in one of the principal roles of Nicolas. It could be a stage play and maybe that's what Mouret had in mind when he wrote it. The story starts with Gabriel (Michael Cohen) and Emilie (Julie Gayet) who are strangers and have met by chance and enjoy an evening together as Emilie relates a story of how an innocent kiss can lead to unintended consequences. In Emilie's story told in flashbacks, she illustrates her point with that of Nicholas who confides in his friend Judith (Virginie Ledoyen) that he is addicted to physical intimacy but is afraid to start a new relationship with someone. Judith is married to Claudio (Stefano Accorsi) and doesn't want to be in a relationship with Nicholas so they come up with a plan to help Nicholas. The simple plan quickly goes wrong and escalates the problems and complications it develops throughout the story as told by Emilie. Fredrique Bel is also in the ensemble cast as Caline. The film of course a story within a story and both are delightfully spun. Mouret has delivered an absolutely charming, smart, fresh and witty film here that I would highly recommend and give it a full 10 out of 10.

writers_reign Emmanuel Mourcet is quietly carving out a niche as a master of the bittersweet love story, not only writing and directing but also starring and anyone who saw his last effort, Changement d'addresse, will want to catch this follow-up. Playing opposite him are two of the loveliest actresses in current French cinema, Julie Gayet and Virginie Ledoyen with Frederic Bel - who was also in Changement d'addresse - thrown if for good measure. Not a lot happens; Gayet asks directions from a stranger, accepts first a lift then a date but refuses the goodnight kiss she longs to accept. By way of explanation she tells a story of how another girl, Viginie Ledoyen, DID accept a kiss from Mouret that ultimately changed both their lives and it is, of course, more than possible that Gayet is using the 'a friend' ploy to speak about herself. You may not go that far to find a more charming and delightful movie but certainly farther than the corner drugstore, even a corner drugstore in the next town. If I were you I'd catch this one when it plays a cinema near you.