COUP DE CHANCE/ STROKE OF LUCK

France, 2023, 93 minutes, Colour.

Lou de Laage, Neils Schneider, Melville Poupaud, Valerie Lemeercier

Directed by Woody Allen.

This Paris-set film is tres francaise. But, as always, his films are always tres Woody Allen. We find here that French situations and characters and Woody Allen situations and characters are very compatible. The French dialogue and the opening and closing credits en Francais look as they do in all of his films. Plus a characteristic jazz soundtrack.

Woody Allen was filming Coup de Chance in Paris as he turned 87, with more than 50 years as a stand-up comic, talented writer, prolific film and television director.

Even though we are in Paris and the locations in tone are authentic, we might as well be in New York City with the characters and themes – and the subtitles offering us the Woody Allen humour and turn of phrase.

And here are the perennial Woody Allen themes that we have responded to for decades. There is enthusiastic love. There is infidelity and consequences. Initially, there are hints of crimes and misdemeanours. And it certainly comes to a climax that way.

Woody Allen is served well by his French cast, Lou de Laage (luminous in so many films like The Innocents) is Fanny, the wife of fashionable wealthy counsellor to the rich (to make them richer) Jean, revealed as more and more controlling (Melvil Poupaud).

And Neils Schneider is a genial writer who, Cpoup de Chance, sees his schooldays sweetheart, Fanny, in the Paris Street. A stroke of luck. But, Woody Allen keeps reminding us that life is so often unlucky, while Jean declares frequently that we make our own luck.

There is a strong presence by Valerie Lemercier as Camille, Fanny’s mother, intervening and leading the plot to its conclusion.

Woody Allen fans will be very pleased.

1. The title, the issue of luck, ransom luck, controlled like?
2. Woody Allen, his career, writing and directing in his mid-80s? In France?
3. Woody Allen’s American sensibility, corresponding to French sensibility, his writing, conversations, remarks, ironies, humour?
4. The situation, Fanny, her first husband and his addiction, divorce, Jean and his attraction, the party, the proposal, the marriage, happiness? Her work at the auction, and details sequences of artwork, business, auctions? Jean, his age, personality, devoted husband, social life, friends, going hunting, travels, helping the rich to get richer? The happy marriage?
5. Alain, his stroke of luck, encountering Fanny, memories of school years, his crush on her, her memories? His marriage and divorce? His being a writer? Away from friends, returning, the encounter in the street, the conversation, his following up, phone calls, lunches, the attraction, the beginning of the affair, his devotion, his apartment, Fanny becoming more involved, happy, moody?
6. Fanny’s life, at work? The transformation with Alain? The hunting weekends, the friends, her being bored, not liking the friends, not going hunting? A greater dependence on the rendezvous with Alain, in love, the issue of honesty and her husband? His noting her moodiness?
7. Jean, his reputation, the story of the suicide of his partner, suspicions? His being a controller,, socialise…? His suspicions?
8. The detective agency, the boss, the severe detective, the details, the quick solution of the case, following Fanny, Alain is identity, the two together, the photo and the recording? Jean and his reaction?
9. Jean and his contact with the Eastern European criminals, the rendezvous, the past and the death of his partner, the arrangement for taking Alain, the apartment, his body in the bag, the plane, dropped over the ocean? Reporting back to Jean?
10. The character of Camille? Fanny’s mother, in America, coming to help her sister? Getting on well with Jean? Her style, manner, forthright? Coming back, suspicions about Fanny, her daughter confiding in her? The story of the missing partner, the joke about alien abductions? Her search of Jean’s room, the agency card, her going, her pretence, confirming her suspicions?
11. Jean, the phone call from the agency, his plans for Camille, calling his associates, the plan for the hunting, the rifle, the accident? Persuading Camille to go, Fanny, the issue of the tablets, her returning to Paris to get them, going back to Alain’s apartment, finding the manuscript, phoning her mother?
12. The hunting, the setup, the deal with the shooter, not having used a rifle, using his own, and explaining that it be all interpreted as an accident? Jean leading Camille through the forest, teaming up with his associate, his suddenly being shot – and the hunters mistaking him for an animal, his being the victim of an accident, his colleague running away, Camille standing amazed?
13. Fanny, coming to terms with the affair, the disappearance of Alain, the renewal of vows at the party with Jean, upset at her mother’s accusations, the suspicion, following through?
14. Woody Allen themes, relationships, betrayals, crimes and misdemeanours.