| French comedies are an
oxymoron to some... and I will admit that they are an acquired taste
even for Francophiles like me. It does seem that the French
should stick to the meaningful, the surreal, the suspenseful
etc etc. However, every year sees a handful of cheesy
Fren-Coms that tickle the funny bone enough to make the rounds in
American art-houses. "Hors De Prix" ("Priceless" in the USA)
is the latest effort, starring the inimitable Audrey Tautou -- quite
easily the most gorgeous use of celluloid one can imagine.
The
film's premise is amusing, if slightly tired. A hapless
waiter, Jean (Elmaleh), working at a luxurious Riviera hotel, is
mistaken by a "working girl", Irene (Tautou), for a wealthy guest
when, late one night, she finds him alone in the hotel bar.
Her current sugar-daddy has become tiresome and she is on the prowl
for new prey.
Jean is instantly smitten with the resplendent beauty and doesn't
think twice about allowing the deception to continue. He
arranges a room for himself and has to tread delicately as he
balances his real job and his fake identity.
The game is soon up and she is quickly on her way out the door in
search of fresh meat. However, their paths soon cross again.
Jean is mistaken, yet again, by a wealthy older woman who sees him
as a sexy young gigolo. Soon, he is in the same profession as
Irene, the true love of his life. Both Jean and Irene compete
with each other as they work their targets. The film chuckles
its way to a typically romantic conclusion.
The performances are all top notch, just as you would suspect.
Elmaleh is a master of subtle facial expressions... his role
generates the hearty laughs. Tautou is as perfect as always.
She can do no wrong in my book. No other actress could convey
such innocence and naiveté in the role of a hooker. She is
perfectly cast and wears designer outfits with such elegance that
they should fire every supermodel that has ever pranced down a
catwalk and just hire her in their place. I also want to
highlight a small, but noteworthy role by Annelise Hesme, star of
the Clio commercials / adverts. She will be on the big-screen
a great deal more in the coming years. She is a new star on
the rise.
The film is not especially brilliant... It is cute and amusing
and nothing more. Still, I enjoyed my time with it and think
that it will be a crowd favorite. I was reminded of "Pretty
Woman" and "When Harry Met Sally" in terms of its mixture of humor
and romance. "Hors de Prix" (Priceless) is a very nice effort
and a great excuse for Audrey fans to see her at her most beautiful. |
