PARIS – MANHATTAN
France, 2012
Alice Taglioni, Patrick Bruel.
Directed by Sophie Lellouche.
Another very French romantic comedy.
The Manhattan reference will immediately alert potential audiences to a Woody Allen connection. And, it is more than a connection. Woody Allen’s presence and quotations from his films (with attention to a large poster on the wall who seems to talk (with quotes from his films to the I-want-to-be-alone heroine) pervade the film and the consciousness of its main character, Alice. She shows us how she was influenced by his movies as a girl. As an adult she goes to see his movies again and again, converses in her imagination with him and the film uses the device of Alice and ourselves hearing his voice from quite a number of his movies.
Alice is a loner. She is awkward in relationships. This does stretch our credulity more than a little because Alice Taglioni is one of the most attractive of French stars we are likely to see on the screen! So, allowing for that, we follow her clashing with her married sister, pestered by her father as to why she is not married. She works at his pharmacy and he retires leaving it to her. At parties she is awkward. After leaving one she misses a taxi and finds herself chatting to Victor (Patrick Bruel), an ordinary kind of man who installs security devices, including in her father’s house. We know that they are destined for love, despite Alice’s ultra-resistance and the fact that Victor does not know Woody Allen’s films – though he finally more than makes up for this.
This means that there are some entertaining moments between Alice and Victor as they take each other for granted, though he is really entranced by her, and eventually, with the help of Woody Allen, Alice’s eyes are opened and she realises where her life should be going.
It is easy to say that this is just another French romantic soufflé, but this one has some good things going for it.
1. A portrait of French life, Paris life, Jewish background, romance, the light touch, froth, the finale?
2. The homage to Woody Allen, his kind of film, French style? The French sensibility, Alice’s voice-over, the quoting of particular Woody Allen films, their influence? Her world view, her poster in her room? Woody Allen talking – the quotes from his films? His values? His interrogating Alice, issues of life, death, relationships? The film clips? The clip from Everything You Wanted to Know About Sex, Gene Wilder and the sheep? The image of Woody Allen? Her growing out of his influence? His final appearance, the conversation with Victor, meeting Alice, urging her on, his going off in the taxi? The presence of Woody Allen and its impact?
3. Alice, at fifteen, the Woody Allen films, her relationship with her sister, with her parents? Her dating Pierre? Helene, coming into the club, Pierre’s attraction, the marriage? The passing of the years? Alice and her brittle personality despite her appearance? The work at the pharmacy? Home, alone, listening to Woody Allen? Pierre and his arranging the date with Vincent, her going out with Vincent? The meeting with Victor, his jobs, security, her leaving the party, his talking with her, walking? The discussions about Woody Allen? Her taking Victor for granted? The robbery, the chloroform, the thief and the DVDs, her giving the thief the Woody Allen films – his returning them and her letting him keep them? Victor seeing Helene, the ménage a trois, her surprise? Discussions with Victor, his kiss? Her worries, wanting to see Woody Allen, giving up? The spying on Achille with Helene, Achille giving her the lift, the scooter? Woody Allen having gone? The hotel, his return?
4. The family, her father and his concern about his daughter, wanting her married off? Giving her the pharmacy? Giving out the cards? Her mother, drinking? The father caring for his wife? The family love?
5. Helene, the arguments, the clashes, Pierre, the wedding, Helene as a lawyer? Laura as a teenager? Around the house? The concern about Achille, going to spy on him? The true story – and Laura and Achille dancing in the street? Her relationships, at the hotel, with Pierre and the callgirl? The reconciliation with Alice?
6. Alice and her life, the customers in the shop, Victor and the chloroform?
7. Victor, his not knowing Woody Allen, his work, ordinary citizen, friendship with Alice’s father? Talking with Alice, helping, the love, her not realising it? His getting her to come to see Woody Allen?
8. The Woody Allen experience? Woody Allen’s words, the kiss?
9. Alice’s change, discovering the truth about herself, her love for Victor – and a happy ending and the happy future?
