You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger (2010)

This is like a Zen version of an Eric Rohmer film. After seeing YOU WILL MEET A TALL DARK STRANGER, it's obvious why Woody Allen is much more highly regarded--and respected-in France than the U.S. The French appreciate films about relationships--especially Rohmer's films about relationships, such as MY NIGHT AT MAUD'S, CLAIRE'S KNEE, SUMMER, PAULINE AT THE BEACH, BOYFRIENDS AND GIRLFRIENDS, AN AUTUMN TALE, etc. Like Woody's recent films--especially MATCH POINT and VICKY CHRISTINA BARCELONA--YOU WILL MEET A TALL DARK STRANGER follows in the same footsteps. The common denominator amongst those films is FATE or PREDESTINATION. Woody seems to be saying that no matter what we do, things will work out in their own way. He is getting much more Zen-like in his golden years. Although YOU WILL MEET A TALL DARK STRANGER wasn't as funny like MANHATTAN MURDER MYSTERY, ANNIE HALL or PLAY IT AGAIN SAM nor was it as deep like CRIMES AND MISDEMEANORS, HANNAH AND HER SISTERS, or MANHATTAN--it is still a worthwhile film to see. Especially for Woody Allen fans. And the French.

An odd film for Allen, neither an overt comedy or one of his dark serious films (e.g. `Crimes and Misdemeanors'). This is a `light' drama, something he hasn't done much. While not Allen's best work, I felt far more warmly towards it than most of the press, especially on 2nd viewing. Some of the criticisms are valid; the voice over narration is out of tone with the piece and at times tells us too literally what we already know. Yet, in the current American cinema, how many film-makers are getting to even and try and address the complex subtle questions of grown-up relationships, aging and the fear of death, and the lies we tell ourselves to get through it all? Or deal with the paradox that humans seem to need something to believe in, and yet that same belief can also lead us astray? Or give great older actors like Anthony Hopkins and Gemma Jones really meaty roles? As long as Allen keeps asking questions, he'll remain a voice worth listening to.

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The new comedy from Woody Allen. Story about a family who is falling apart...Husband (Hopkins) leaves his wife of 40 years...and that's just the beginning. The subject matter doesn't seem funny, but it works as a comedy, Woody Allen has a way of doing that. Husband leaves his wife, who is seeing a psychic, for a woman half his age, daughter has crush on her boss, her husband has crush on the neighbor. I've never been a Woody Allen fan, I have only really liked a few of his movies. This one was not that bad. It was very entertaining and enjoyable, but not one of my favorites. If you like Woody Allen I'm sure you will really enjoy this. If you are like me and are not a huge fan, this is still very watchable and a pretty good time. The cast is excellent and it's worth watching for that. I give it a B.

Would I watch again? Most likely not.

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I found some of the comments that "Tall Dark Stranger" was about 'absolutely nothing' ironic, because the voiceover at the beginning of the film, quoting "Macbeth," informs viewers exactly of what they are going to see: a story "full of sound and fury, signifying nothing!"

As usual, Allen has assembled an outstanding cast, including Gemma Jones, Naomi Watts, Anthony Hopkins, and Antonio Banderas. Jones is especially endearing as Hopkins' neurotic ex-wife and the mother of the equally neurotic Watts. Josh Brolin plays Watts's rather obnoxious husband, who is attracted to Freida Pinto, charming as the lady in red, who inhabits the window of his dreams in the flat across the courtyard. Lucy Punch is convincingly downmarket as Hopkins' enticing squeeze, and Banderas plays Watts's plausible (if dodgy) boss with panache. Allen emphasises the hopes and aspirations of his characters effectively with his lush but intimate musical score, which includes pop, jazz, opera, chamber (Mozart) and classical guitar (Boccherini). The scrumptious London settings provide a perfect background for his characters, and make the film a very enjoyable place for the viewer to while away a couple of hours.

One of the things I love about Woody Allen's films is their unpredictability. Even though they hold recurrent themes, no two are exactly alike. They always contain surprises that delight, if one accepts them on their own terms. "Tall Dark Stranger" is a celebration of life in all its randomness and unpredictability. It is about the grass always seeming greener elsewhere; about possibility; about hope, that last spirit remaining in Pandora's box. In other words, it is about each one of us living our separate lives, which sometimes touch one another, and then, unexpectedly, move off in random directions.

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Short Attention Span Summary:

1. There are several characters that intersect in various ways and make choices. Some good, some bad.

2. One character is an older man who divorces his wife (of many years) and takes up with a tart (who later gets pregnant with someone else's child-after taking this old fool's money).

3. Another character is a struggling writer whose work is rejected. He steals the manuscript of a friend that he thought was dead, only to find out that the friend wasn't really dead.

4. Still another character becomes beholden to a psychic for advice on every single one of life's moves.

5. One character wants to open up a business (but can't succeed) and wants to lean on her mother for financing.

A lot of people missed the point of this movie, and it is this (and as much is said in the film): Not all decisions in life will go for the best. And in that way, this is not like typical movies. But it is very much like real life. There's not a lot of profanity/ copulation, but there is a humorously-made point.

This movie is worth an evening ticket price.

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My Cousin Vinny (1992)

Subtly employing the city mouse/country mouse theme, MY COUSIN VINNY is a light-hearted courtroom comedy. While it occasionally stoops to some stereotyping, the movie doesn't do so mean-spiritedly. In any event, both sides get equal skewering.

Vinny Gambini, brilliantly portrayed by Joe Pesci, is a Brooklyn boy who has finally passed the Bar (after repeated failures) and now finds himself defending his nephew and his nephew's friend against murder charges in the Bible Belt. Along with his too beautiful fiancee, played by Academy Award Winner Marissa Tomei, Pesci investigates the southern style of life, as he fathoms southern courtroom procedures and tries to get some sleep. The resulting clash of cultures is sometimes predictable, but honestly, is very inventive for the most part.

The comedy of the court room scenes is heightened by the late Fred Gwynne who plays the presiding judge. His by-the-book habits and short-fused temper are a perfect foil to Vinny's laconic style. It is their interaction that feeds most of the cultural clashing. But there is also a clash of the sexes that underlies the film, as Vinny stubbornly refuses the help of his fiancee. This confrontation is also highlighted in the courtroom when the DA refuses to believe that she could possibly be considered an expert in automechanics, even though her brothers, her father, her uncles, and just about everyone else in her family are expert mechanics. (The DA becomes convinced in a wonderful cross-interview scene.)

MY COUSIN VINNY was both critically well-received and a huge box-office success. There's a reason for that: it is a well-written, well-directed and perfectly acted comedy that stands up well even after repeated viewings. See it for yourself and you'll understand why, too.

I believe this to be one of those 90s comedies we all love, so the BD transfer was a nice addition to see come over. Playing it in the store today reminded everyone how fun the film was, but the obvious preservation work made for a nice sell on how these older films should be done.

The colors and clarity were actually cleaned up well, with the artifact being random to where there was no real detraction. The credit sequences looked solid, which for some of these 90s block letter credits the BD transfers can leave in horrible grain. With how they did Tomei's makeup in this, there could have been plenty of chances for a dull saturation look, but in actuality it turned out looking great.

The sound is what sold me though. They mixed and re-amplified it into a 5.1 DTS that rocked the channels. The train scenes were excellent and that owl made customers do a double take. The supplements suck though. They included a variety of trailers from theater and TV, but in that it does show how the original stock looked compared to this upgrade. The commentary was fine, but I was hoping for some visual treats. Instead, the film will have to stand alone for buying the Blu. The menu shows a cleaned up reel also and the navigation was simple. Enjoy.

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First of all: "My Cousin Vinny" (1992), is one of the funniest film I've ever seen! After the first ten minutes you can't stop laughing. You'll be able only to graduate from roaring outbursts to moderate laugh.

Jonathan Lynn has many skills in the cinematographic world: he is actor, director and playwright. As director this is, arguably, his best work. When making this film, it seems he was touched by a magic wand for comedic tempos. It is a pity he hasn't reached the same level with his other films, still there are some quite good as "Nuns on the Run" (1990) and "The Distinguished Gentleman" (1992).

This is the story of two New York youngsters wrongly accused of murder in Alabama. They are broken and endangered but Billy resorts to his Cousin Vinny, who's supposedly an experienced attorney.

Well... he isn't experienced, but he is faithful to family obligation and show up with his fiancée to help his relative.

The Court is commanded by Judge Chamberlain Haller inflexible and punctilious.

The rest of the movie shows the confrontation between Judge & Attorney, giving place to a series of hilarious scenes.

Joe Pesci, Marisa Tomei and Fred Gwynne flesh the three main characters producing outstanding alchemy for audience's delight.

Pesci is a purebred comedian and his characterization of a New Yorker confused by Southern etiquette is just a riot.

Beautiful Marisa Tomei earned an Oscar with her joyful play-acting.

Last but not least Fred Gwynne is a Judge full of irony and subtleties.

This movie is an excellent pastime, I wholeheartedly recommend it.

Reviewed by Max Yofre.

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I cautiously first went to see "My Cousin Vinny" when Marisa Tomei won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress, because--unlike many people--I don't like Joe Pesci. I still don't like Joe Pesci, BUT the role of Vincent LaGuardia Gambini in "My Cousin Vinny" is perfect for him, and his performance is stellar. For me Joe Pesci is Vincent Gambini and Vincent Gambini is Joe Pesci. And, it was my opinion when I first saw "My Cousin Vinny," as it is now after watching the DVD I just got, that Marisa Tomei more than deserved the Oscar. It is my opinion, moreover, that many times award winning performances are discredited by viewers because the actor is performing so well that it appears they are not acting at all. (Please note that I count myself among those who see the Oscars as politically driven; so, when I agree with them--which is seldom--I am truly standing up to be counted).

The product description does a fair job of describing the story outline; although it hardly makes "My Cousin Vinny" sound nearly as funny as it is. But the movie is about more than two kids from the city mistakenly arrested for murder in (the implicitly implied "redneck") Alabama. The film is a light-hearted study of culture clashes, where all characters have stereotypical traits and stereotype the other characters themselves. The movie is also about assumptions--along with the inherent danger of such--and how the "meaning" of these assumptions vary with regards to experience and socialization. "My Cousin Vinny" also examines gender roles--and it is here that Tomei shines--and education/science versus experience and common knowledge. But, most importantly, "My Cousin Vinny" demonstrates the importance of "doing the right thing," regardless of the consequences (and in some cases the legality of the action). Pesci's character finally "gets it," and is able to find his way; but only through the assistance of Tomei's character and the trust of Billy Gambini (inconsistently performed by Ralph Macchio).

As for the other reviewer's triad about the language in this DVD version of the movie, as compared to the bleeped television version, I have these comments: 1) the movie is rated "R," which should have informed you about the probability of profanity; 2) while it may seem like there is a lot of profanity in the movie, it is completely applicable to the way these characters would actually speak--and I suspect that there is actually less profanity than it sounds like; 3) when "My Cousin Vinny" was made (1992), most movies were moving towards increased use of profanity--especially "R" rated movies; and 4) is overt profanity that much worse than suggested or ribald "comedy?" Moreover, just how does the sudden inclusion of (generally appropriately used) profanity into any dialog--films or otherwise--change the humor or make it no longer funny? In fact, I personally hear just as much, if not more, profanity used by children, teenagers, adults, and seniors at the store than in the movie; which I believe is gross misuse of profanity, but is the way of life today. For me, and I am sure many others, a great funny movie, is a great funny movie in spite of the language. Remember, there was a day when movies couldn't even rely on language to be funny.

Now for the mystery I am having trouble understanding: Why is this version of the DVD/VHS not being lumped together with the other versions with regards to reviews? To date (12 June 2008), there is only one review listed for this version, while there are 129 reviews for the other version currently available. This is so uncharacteristic of Amazon! And, in near ultimate irony, it appears that there is no difference between this version and the other "lower priced" (I got mine when it was sale) version, other than the fact that this version has a gold cardboard slipcase (the box inside is exactly like the other one) and the listing has the wrong actors!

Update--1 July 2008: If this review was not helpful to you, I would appreciate learning the reason(s) so I can improve my reviews. My goal is to provide help to potential buyers, not get into any arguments. So, if you only disagree with my opinion, could you please say so in the comments and not indicate that the review was not helpful. Thanks.

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In 1992, My Cousin Vinny was the one movie that made everybody laugh until their sides split. I've been watching the film ever since it was released and all I did was laugh my rear-end off. Twelve years have gone by since the film was released and I'm still laughing today. Any actor or actress can get a rise out of you if they knew the right way to do it, but nobody can get a rise of you the way Joe Pesci does in this film; nobody can do it they way Marisa Tomei does in this film.

When two college buddies by the names of Bill (played by Ralph Macchio) and Stan (Mitchell Whitford) are driving down the roads of Beecham County, Alabama, they are suddenly arrested for the murder of a grocery store clerk, but what the police of Alabama don't know is that Bill and Stan are completely innocent. Unable to afford a public attorney, Bill turns to his cousin, Vincent Gambini (played by Joe Pesci), an ex-auto-mechanic turned lawyer from Brooklyn, New York, who just past his bar exam after failing it the first five times and knows absolutely nothing about law. By his side is his beautiful fiancee, Lisa Vito (played by Marisa Tomei, in her Oscar-winning role), who is an out-of-work hairdresser that knows every damn thing there is to know about cars. The court is led by Judge Chamberlain Haller (played by the late Fred Gwyne), who has absolutely no patience for any kind of misbehavior in his courtroom. Seems as though Vinny has now finally realized his no longer in New York and is now in a state where no one gets away with any kind of behavior or crime and has finally met his match. Can Vinny pull his cousin out of this mess without screwing up the case? Watch My Cousin Vinny as he desperately tries to save his little cousin while he gives you non-stop laughter along the way.

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Baby Mama (2008)

This is another flick my 15 year old granddaughter drug me to, kicking and screaming (practically). It sounded DUMB, but she kept whining and I caved in. Well, guess what? I LOVED it! I was laughing so hard she kept banging me all through the movie to shut me up (saw it in the theater).

I see it got some less-than-wonderful reviews, and, as we know, everybody has different opinions.It begins with a single 37-year old career woman who is suddenly bitten by the baby bug and she knows her biological clock is ticking. She tries finding a "donor," but that seems to scare away her dates. She tries a sperm bank, looking for a suitable specimine who looks like he might produce a handsome child. Then she considers invetro but the doc tells her she probably can't get pregnant anyway because her uterus is T shaped. This leads her to seek out a surrogate mother to carry her child for her.

Now I agree, this doesn't really sound funny but it is. Tina Fey is great as the wanna-be momma. A yoga version of Steve Martin with a long ponytail is her boss as she becomes Vice President of Development of a large organic health food store chain. Sigorney Weaver runs the surrogate agency and for a cool $100K, will fix you up with a "thoroughly screened" surrogate :-). I don't know everyone's name but the surrogate is a hoot, and her and Tina clash constantly, even to the point where they have to both attend a conflict support group. The surrogate has a greedy boyfriend, too. Greg Kinnear turns up in the movie, too and I just love him in the movies. The friendly doorman at Tina's hotel has a cool part, too. It's really a great movie and has a lot of fine actors in it. Kathy W gives this a big thumbs up!

Baby Mama is a cute film with a few good laughs and some essentially entertaining comedy. It's by no means going to be "movie of the year;" but it isn't a flop, either. Baby Mama gets its strength from some excellent acting and the plot moves along at a good pace. My basic regret is that it could have been so much funnier than it was. It is an ambitious film, too, in that it tackles a serious issue through comedy. Sadly, it doesn't completely accomplish either goal. Sigh.

When the action begins, career woman Kate Holbrook (Tina Fey) realizes that her biological clock is ticking fast and she doesn't have the one thing to make her feel truly happy and complete--a baby. Everywhere Kate goes, she sees babies and she adores them. Eventually, Kate finds out that she can't have a baby even through artificial means; and then she goes to a fancy agency run by Chaffee Bicknell (Sigourney Weaver) to find a surrogate mother.

Naturally, Chaffee Bicknell reassures Kate that the $100,000 fee for getting a top "quality" woman to carry her baby for nine months is well worth it--and then Chaffee steers Kate right toward a somewhat sleazy woman named Angie Ostrowiski (Amy Poehler) who is posing as a model woman to carry another woman's baby. Angie's common-law husband/boyfriend Carl (Dax Shepard) isn't any more sophisticated or much better than Angie.

Time goes by and Kate and Angie live together when Angie has a break up with Carl. This provides mild comic relief with the predictable conflicts two people face when one (Kate) is a highly educated, straight laced and uptight career woman while the other (Angie) lives for singing along with her "American Idol" video game while munching constantly on potato chips, eating all types of junk food and even drinking! And yes, there's a bit more comic relief one night when Angie and Kate go out dancing--but it's just not as funny as it could have been. Sigh.

Of course, the plot can go anywhere from here. Will Kate's baby arrangement work out? Will Angie and Carl ever divulge their huge secret to Kate? What about Angie's pregnancy--how does Kate help out with that? No plot spoilers here, folks--watch the movie and find out!

Look for a great performance by Tina Fey as Kate; and Greg Kinnear gives a terrific performance as Rob, a guy Kate becomes romantically involved with. Steve Martin also fits in well as Barry, Kate's boss at the health-food company.

Overall, Baby Mama gets a pat on the back from me for some good aspects--I liked the acting and the plot moves along well. However, as a comedy it falls short of my expectations although the subplots involving Carl and Angie's "secret" and Kate's romance with Rob are fairly well done. Take in this movie on a rainy afternoon if you've already seen some better films first. Baby Mama is one flick you should see--but only if you get a completely free opening in your schedule. Walk, but don't run to see this film.

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The theater i saw it in was completely full, a huge surprise because I wasn't expecting a big interest in the film and there were severe storms outside. But the movie was a huge surprise, I laughed the whole time at the mixture of silly gags and very smart humor. The whole audience loved it.

And as much as I've loved all the raunchy comedies out lately, this movie was the PERFECT Anti-Apatow.

Tina and Amy had great chemistry and the supporting cast was great, including a decent performance from Steve Martin and a hilarious character performance from Sigourney Weaver.

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It's already been said that the script was weak for this film. I concur. I believe Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, if not the best female comedians ever produced by SNL, they are most certainly among the top 4 or 5. That's why it's such a shame they didn't have a great script to help make this a great comedy. Sometimes mediocre acting can be elevated by a good script, but seldom can a poor script be saved by the actors, however good they may be.

Tina Fey should never agree to take on another comedic role without serious control of the script she's too good a writer to risk her career to a bummer like this one. And she and Poehler have such wonderful chemistry & splendid timing together, it's just a shame this movie wasn't what it might have been.

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To its credit, "Baby Mama" is not your typical one-joke movie starring "Saturday Night Live" alums. It's more of a one-and-a-half joke movie. In "Mama", Tina Fey's OCD career woman, unable to conceive and unwilling to wait for an adoption, hires Amy Poehler's ADD surrogate mother to carry her baby. How will this odd couple survive nine months together? With hilarious results, of course. Well, moderately hilarious, at least, thanks in large part to its two seriously talented comedic leads. This contemporary comedy draws our attention to the business of babies. It does so however in such a hackneyed fashion that if it weren't for the talented mama's at the forefront of it all, it would be little more than a painful delivery.

Personally I feel that "Mama" is written, with one contrivance too many, by Michael McCullers who co-wrote the last two "Austin Powers" movies. Mr. McCullers makes his directorial debut here but, even at 96 minutes, "Mama" eventually runs awfully thin. There are certainly some good moments, particularly when the two leads are given time to riff off each other. Ms. Poehler, in particular, is given a wide berth (pun intended). Ms. Fey however, so winning on the small screen, is put to the test here. As the consummate straight-woman, her range (and the script) is too limited to inject any real depth into the material. "Mama" treats the sensitivity of its topic with kid gloves it's missing Ms. Fey's deft comic hand (the one that has made "30 Rock", against all odds, one of the best comedy on television). Even 1987's similarly-themed Diane Keaton vehicle "Baby Boom" held more weight. Even without a gestation specialist.

Like I said before Michael McCullers made the comedy here far too broad and predictable, robbing the talented actors of anything with which to play. I don't know if someone at Saturday Night Live had a surrogate, but that idea certainly was kicking around the set. I would recommended this film only if you have a few lazy days put aside.

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Friday (Director's Cut) (2009)

this movie had what the sequels missed out on, smokey. he pretty much made the first movie. such memorable lines in this movie at such quantities, it's hard not to like it. "how do you get fired on your day off?" "what you stealin boxes for, you tryin to build a clubhouse?" i have seen this movie at least 100 times and still never grow tired of it. whenever i can't think of anything else to watch, friday creeps up and inserts itself into the dvd player. great great movie.

of course deebo was a great villian. there is allways that big @ss thug that wants to prove that noone can step up to him. what a better person to play that role then tom 'tiny' lister jr. maybe that guy from the green mile. chris tucker was absolutely amazing as a pothead. i don't think anyone could have pulled that role off better then him. ice cube did a great job as craig and i don't know who played as mrs. parker, but she did a good job too. then you have the corrupt preacher played by bernie mac. hillarious movie from beginning to end especially when they did the flashback scenes with smokey taking a hit of angel dust and finding himself in deebos chicken coop.

this movie had one of the best soundtracks ever put together. everything from ice cube and cypress hill to rick james and 2 live crew. best placement in the movie for the soundtrack had to be when craigs girlfriend got out of the car all pissed off and hoochie mamma was playing in the background. the best hood classic ever.

This is THE funniest comedy I have ever seen. I agree with another reviewer: I can watch this movie a million times and never tire of it. It gets funnier and funnier each time.

Tucker stole the show as Smokey, who sells pot but who also smokes it and it's that love that causes him trouble in the middle of the film. But it's his lines and his mannerisms as Smokey that make him hilarious.

One of my favorite parts is where Rita pulls up to meet Smokey for a blind date. Rita, who said she looked like Janet Jackson but weighed a good 250 pounds says lustfully, "Ooo, what's up?" The expression on Tucker's face made me cry, I was laughing so hard: It immediately dropped as he gets an eyeful of her and says, "Not a damn thing!"

The movie is chock full of goodies. The delivery of the script is what makes this movie and everyone was cast perfectly for their parts.

Sequels were unnecessary because this stands out by itself.

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This is an amazing movie but the director's cut on blu-ray sucks!! they just ad some lines that kill the jokes! i remember this movie word for word! but the director EFFED UP!!!! WITH THIS VERSION!!!! DEFINITELY BUYING REGULAR DVD VERSION AND THROWING THIS BLU RAY AWAY!!!!

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The original Friday is a classic. The extra footage and material still bring new laughs to this viewer. Wish they would have added a copy of the original theatre release as well.

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Needless to say this movie is a classic!!! I saw the movie was released on Bluray and bought it spontaneously. The transfer isn't as good as I hoped and I barely consider it an upgrade from the DVD. If you already own the DVD, then I'd recommend just saving your money.

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Delicacy (2011)

The infectious Audrey Tautou takes center stage in this charming French confection about love in its various configurations. Ever since "Amelie," I've been enchanted with Tautou. She is so likable and natural with an intriguing ease on screen. It's almost impossible not to relate to her in some manner, and I think this appeal can sometimes overshadow her talent. And she is a true talent, she just makes it look simple. She goes through a strong character arc in "Delicacy" and is absolutely terrific. From contentment, to loss and withdrawal, to romantic rebirth--Tautou experiences much in this film filled with both melancholy and hope. Billed as a whimsical romantic comedy, I wouldn't discount this movie as merely frothy entertainment (although it surely is). There is a truth and poignancy at the heart of "Delicacy" that really resonates. This isn't pure fantasy. There are real life situations, genuine heart, and a surprising depth beneath the sweet exterior. And I, for one, appreciated that the movie felt true to life without sacrificing its charm.

As the movie opens, Tautou seems to be a woman who has it all. But this idyllic existence is short lived as a tragic accident scrambles her contented life. Picking up three years later, Tautou has thrown herself into her career. Although well liked, she appears to have dismissed all notions of finding romance. In fact, she isn't looking for it in any way, shape, or form. Fending off unwanted advances and becoming the fodder for office speculation, one day she breaks routine with a defiant and almost unconscious act. She impetuously kisses a subordinate (Francois Damiens) and proceeds as if nothing has happened. But Damiens is besotted and this unremarkable (and relatively meaningless) moment might just have long range repercussions. The two are an unlikely match, but they begin a casual friendship that is very winning. Can you find love when you're not looking for it? Or is there any other way? The biggest obstacle, in this case, is the resistant Tautou. But maybe everything happens for a reason.

Tautou, as I've said, is really great here but she is matched by Damiens (traditionally known for more broad comedy). While I was amused throughout, I was also completely invested in both of the characters. I'm not particularly sentimental, but this simple story felt remarkably believable. An easy recommendation for fans of French romance, I think this is a film experience with pretty universal appeal. Its goals are relatively modest, but it certainly achieves what it sets out to do. About 4 1/2 stars. The North American release has Bonus features that include a making-of featurette as well as an exclusive interview with the luminous Tautou. KGHarris, 9/12.

`La délicatesse' is a lovely French dish written by David Foenkinos and directed by both David and Stéphane Foenkinos. Much of the success of this slightly to the edge story of the vagaries of love and life as they intertwine is due to the presence of the irresistible charm and charisma of lead actress Audrey Tautou. She is able to take this story that at times seems impossibly off track and keep it grounded in her sense of lightness and focus, making us believe that what actually happens to this character is truly quite possible.

Nathalie Kerr (Audrey Tautou) is a successful businesswoman who happens to meet the rather unkempt but impish François (Pio Marmaï, an irresistibly charming actor) quite by accident (and an order of apricot juice) in a café. Nathalie is literally swept off her feet and rather quickly this spontaneous meeting of hearts results in blissful marriage. The perfect scenario ends tragically when François is accidentally kill. Nathalie's heart seems irreparable and she trudges through life bathed in grief and longing. Even her handsome boss Charles (Bruno Todeschini) can't woo her: Nathalie is frank in her objection that Charles is a married man. Then the door to her office opens and a subordinate nerdy appearing geek named Markus Lundi (François Damiens) walks in and Nathalie impetuously greets him with a passionate kiss an act she represses thinking that such a deed was impossible. And this apparent one-sided accidental occurrence lightens Markus' life and he is committed to falling in love with the resistant Nathalie. The `courtship' leads to Nathalie's recognition that love and happiness can happen in the most unexpected places and ways.

Summarizing the story makes it sound trite and bordering on silly, but it is the delicately French manner in which it is told that makes the film so refreshingly endearing. The entire cast is first class (director Stéphane Foenkinos is best known as one of France's best casting directors!) but it is the glimmering lightness of Tautou and Marmaï and Damiens that make it sail. A perfect Valentine. Grady Harp, February 13

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"I could go on holiday in your hair," moons a love struck Swede named Markus (Francois Damiens) to his co-worker, a beautiful French widow named Nathalie. If that sounds like an inappropriate comment to make at the office (to your boss, no less), you're right. Then again, it's not every day that your boss (bearing a remarkable likeness to Audrey Tautou) calls you into her office, springs from her chair without warning, plants a lingering, passionate smooch, then goes back to her desk as if nothing just happened. It's an anomaly that a slovenly nebbish like Markus is going to require a few days to process.

Whether or not you believe that a beautiful young widow who bears a remarkable likeness to Audrey Tautou would even consider throwing herself at a slovenly nebbish who bears a remarkable likeness to a French Chris Elliot is probably a good litmus test for whether or not you will be willing to sit through a romantic dramedy called "Delicacy", directed by siblings David and Stephane Foenkinos (adapted from David's novel). In an opening montage that vibes the films of Eric Rohmer, we get a recap of Nathalie's relationship with her late husband, the suavely continental Francois (Pio Marmai), from their initial Meet Cute at a quaint café, to his untimely demise while out for a jog one fateful morning. The heartbroken Nathalie deals with her pain by becoming a workaholic.

And so it is that Nathalie registers just as much shock at her impulsive amorous advance on her own underling, as does Markus himself (who leaves her office dazed and confused). When he later screws up the courage to ask her if she truly wants to go down this road, Nathalie tries to backpedal. She doesn't know what possessed her. Her mind was elsewhere, etc. etc. "You sound like an American. That's a bad sign," Markus deadpans, in the film's funniest line. This gets a chuckle out of Nathalie, breaking the ice.

Will this odd couple find true love? You'll have to watch to find out. You will have to be willing to suspend your disbelief, of course. Your willingness to go along with this fluffy but diverting affair also hinges on which camp you happen to be in regarding Ms. Tautou's saucer-eyed, Gallic pixie allure (which some are apparently immune to). There is some unevenness in tone, particularly stemming from an over-reliance on the gimmick of "listening in" to each character's Deep Thoughts (which aim for poetic heights but tend to crash-land just this side of a Hallmark greeting card), but it's not enough to sink the proceedings. The film is saved by Tautou and Damiens' onscreen chemistry; they both bring an endearing charm to their roles. Damiens imbues his shambling ugly duckling with a gentle humanity that helps us grok what Nathalie finds so appealing. Think of this film as a soufflé, which, depending on what you bring to the table, can be an entree or a dessert. If you're the type who could bypass the entree and go straight to dessert, I think you will enjoy. Those without a sweet tooth will probably want to skip it.

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*** THIS REVIEW IS FOR THE UK BLU RAY VERSION (Released Aug 2012) ***

"Delicacy" isn't a masterpiece by any stretch of the imagination but nowadays is that rarest of digital beasts a 'kind' film a gently unfolding love story about two polar opposites who need to give each other a chance...

But therein lies some of this French movie's problems with critics and audiences alike (never mind the English subtitles). We're essentially being asked to believe what some would say is absurd after the loss of her ludicrously handsome and beloved husband Francois (Pio Marmai) the swanlike beauty Nathalie Kerr (Audrey Tautou) then falls in love with the office klutz the balding cardigan-wearing Swedish clerk Markus Lundl (Francois Damiens). And of course in the real world no such thing would happen. But I'd argue that David and Stephane Foenkinos' movie is better than that...

"La Delicatesse" (the original French title) isn't a rom-com or even a comedy as the trailer clumsily tries to portray it's rather more serious than that. It's a journey from heartbreak back to hope and it's done with class and a deliberately languid pace. It comes with the usual office dynamics the already-married boss Charles (Bruno Todeschini) consumed with the widowed prize he can't have the gossiping secretary Chloe (a shockingly gorgeous Melanie Bernier) and outside of work friends and their nosey partners who don't rate the social status of Nathalie's new male acquisition (and he's not even that pretty either).

Speaking of physical beauty and its grip on our world in 2011 the script has a go at these social hypocrisies and often succeeds. But I was more impressed with other sublime and touching moments... When Nathalie returns after the funeral to her apartment and the blurry emptiness just hits her when she picks up a friend's child in a playground and smiles for the first time in a long while when she later gets an inexpensive but thoughtful gift from Markus that changes her perspective of him so completely. And their year-after-year relationship is allowed to grow slowly talks on the office roof (dialogue above) when Markus sees Nathalie's elegant neckline as they exit a restaurant when Nathalie's elderly aunt greets them in the rain at her country cottage and remarks that he is "a good man"...

The BLU RAY picture is good beautiful in places but hardly exceptional it has to be said. Defaulted to 1.85:1 aspect ratio it does at least fill the entire screen and the English subtitles are never unreadable. There are 15 deleted scenes (some quite substantial) and the 21 blooper reels where the cast has a giggle are a welcome blast (even having a light-hearted poke at "The Artist" on the last one).

The camera adores every second of Audrey Tautou and sometimes her extraordinary beauty works against her yet she imbibes her Nathalie with a hurt and longing that is wholly believable. When she sobs or delights you feel both with an equal wallop. Francois Damiens does even better never overplaying the ordinariness of his Markus just letting it flow out slowly but also allowing him those dizzy moments of seize-the-day or love will elude you. Very touching stuff...

Perhaps it's just me but I can't help but feel that we've been so emotionally bludgeoned over the years by bad movies, violence and cruelty-as-cool that something as genuinely lovely as "Delicacy" finds itself being poo-pooed and dismissed in certain quarters. I'd say take a chance on this one it will reward you...

...And if Audrey Tautou or Melanie Bernier need a dish on their arms for a premier or a red carpet or two once the female queue outside the hall door has died down and the football's over I'm available (for a very reasonable fee).

BLU RAY Specifications:

Video: 1.85:1 Full Screen Aspect Ratio

Audio: 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio and 2.0 Stereo LPCM

Subtitles: A French Film with English Subtitles Onscreen

EXTRAS:

1. Deleted Scenes (15)

2. Bloopers (21)

3. Trailer

Want Delicacy (2011) Discount?

Good quality and great movie . You have to see it! Audrey is lovely, funny / dramatic story!this isn't a Hollywood love story , but a realistic one.

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