Film Reviews by MS

This is a lightweight, mass market comedy. Draws on the old clichés of a fish out of water, with a soft south-of-France manager trying to adapt to life with good-hearted but unsophisticated hicks in the northern Pas de Calais area. Much of the humour revolves around their rural dialect; the subtitler has made an attempt to convey what it is like, using English. Although it's probably much funnier if you speak French well, there are quite a few laughs anyway. Think a middle-class Cambridge person suddenly being sent to work in a remote North-east English town and you get the idea.

The four stars are for the actual film, which is a compelling and beautifully acted tale of the Italian Resistance in World War 2.

Unfortunately, although this great film was re-released a year ago in a new print with new subtitles, I was sent the old print. It's quite grainy and, worse, there are only subtitles for about 50% of the dialogue, if that! I had to read up on the whole plot before I could watch it and, while it was worthwhile, why not get the new Blu-Ray for customers?

I've always liked the very distinctive Dardenne brothers' style, and here Marion Cotillard lifts the film with a wonderful performance as the downtrodden factory worker fighting to keep her job. I like all the little touches of humdrum domestic life - making a dessert for her children, straightening their room - while she is engaged in such a gripping task.

To me the interesting part is the variety of responses of her co-workers, from unconditional support to insincere apology to open hostility, when she goes to each to beg them to forego their bonus and vote for her to stay at her job. Since the actors are a variety of ages, sexes and races, it's a real cross-section.

My only complaint is that it's perhaps 20 minutes too long, but I still found myself thoroughly engaged, and the ending is not a predictable American-type one.