Newbie French writer/director Régis Roinsard plays homage to the great Hollywood 1950’s romantic comedies with this delightful sugary fluffy movie. A perfect period piece that says that not only can fairy tales come true (eventually) but they look and sound so much better in fabulous retro sets, stunning costumes, and a rip roaring sentimentalised score.
Rose wins a few of the local competitions and its clear to everyone …..except Louis of course …. that the only reason she puts up with the hard slog of hours of training, is because she is in love with him. It’s not until she wins the National Championship and qualifies for a chance at becoming the World Champion that she is so annoyed with Louis’s indifference that she ditches him and signs up with Japy, the manufacturers of the new pink ‘populaire’ typewriter.
full of girls competing in a typing competition could be so much fun, but director evidently Roinsard had really wanted to make a sports movie so he has photographed and edited it so aggressively that it is very entertaining. Even though he may never have initially wanted to make a romantic comedy, he has done a first class job, and its a real tribute to the likes of Vincente Minelli and the other masters of the genre way back then.
Louis is played by the sublime actor Roman Duris … and why he is probably not an obvious choice for such a matinee idol role, he is the perfect one as he brings a edgy quality to the part, and he is also so wonderfully droll. I have already given a nod to Deborah Francis who as Rose is a wonderful foil to the self-centred Louis, and then there is Marie his ex, who was played by the delightful Bérénice Bejo (Oscar nominated for ‘The Artist’).
It’s all very definitely lightweight and a tad mushy, but it is also a sheer joy. If you like your romance with a distinctly old-fashioned feel to it, and naturally with a happy ending, then you’ll really love this one. It’s in Theaters now.
★★★★★★★★
Labels: 2013, French, romantic comedy
