Ceticultsot Beautiful, moving film.

Cleveronix A different way of telling a story

Odelecol Pretty good movie overall. First half was nothing special but it got better as it went along.

Bumpy Chip It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

Rich Wright Funny thing, falling in love with a slob. You might think he's the bee's knees, but your family and friends may feel differently... and some may be more eager to display their disapproval than others. Here, an attractive young French lady is married to Mr Perfect, but becomes a widow at an early age when he goes out for a bike ride. As soon as he put them headphones on, after declaring undying affection for his wife, I knew he was a goner. You get a sixth sense for these kind of things, when you've seen as many movies as I have.Instead of mourning, she spends the next four years concentrating solely on work... and it's there, one day, she randomly kisses a Swede called Markus. She has no idea why she did it, but thanks to her unprovoked actions, Markus is now besotted with her. And so, now begins a strange romance, between a gorgeous career girl and a kind, but rather scruffy bearded older chap. Their interactions are frequently endearing, and we want them to get together... regardless of what anyone else says.It lacks the wit and pizazz to be a truly memorable romcom, but at the end of the day, all you need in a film like this is a sympathetic central couple, and a few relatable parts which will provoke nods of recognition and smiles from any watching lovebirds. Plus of course, being set in Paris, a scene at night with the Eiffel Tower glowing in the background. Has there ever been a flick of the genre, Funny thing, falling in love with a slob. You might think he's the bee's knees, but your family and friends may feel differently... and some may be more eager to display their disapproval than others. Here, an attractive young French lady is married to Mr Perfect, but becomes a widow at an early age when he goes out for a bike ride. As soon as he put them headphones on, after declaring undying affection for his wife, I knew he was a goner. You get a sixth sense for these kind of things, when you've seen as many movies as I have.Instead of mourning, she spends the next four years concentrating solely on work... and it's there, one day, she randomly kisses a Swede called Markus. She has no idea why she did it, but thanks to her unprovoked actions, Markus is now besotted with her. And so, now begins a strange romance, between a gorgeous career girl and a kind, but rather scruffy bearded older chap. Their interactions are frequently endearing, and we want them to get together... regardless of what anyone else says.It lacks the wit and pizazz to be a truly memorable romcom, but at the end of the day, all you need in a film like this is a sympathetic central couple, and a few relatable parts which will provoke nods of recognition and smiles from any watching lovebirds. Plus of course, being set in Paris, a scene at night with the Eiffel Tower glowing in the background. Has there ever been a flick of the genre, set at this location, that hasn't? 6/10 6/10

iam I generally enjoy most of the French films that I see, but given the so-so ratings, I didn't know how satisfying this experience might be. I'm thrilled to say, I thoroughly enjoyed this one from start to picture-perfect finish. Though it's a bittersweet slice of life, as the story unfolds, you begin to feel that if you stay true to your ideals and your heart, sometimes life surprises you with a bonus when you least expect it. Audrey Tautou was as captivating as ever and you can truly believe why the other characters here - both women and men- are in awe of her. But she's more than just a pretty face - she's loyal to a fault and has the smarts to appreciate the true value of someone beyond a fancy façade. Francois Damiens is a revelation. This film truly showcases his comedic flare and without trying too hard, he elevates every scene he's in. As the low-key Swedish dumpling, it doesn't take long for an audience to fall in love with Markus either. In real life, opposites attract now and again so I found it completely believable that Nathalie would be floored by his intellect, humour, humility and low-vanity ways as much as he's besotted with her. If more people took their wise approach to relationships, it'd be a much happier world. All in all, this is a brilliantly crafted film. The characterization of office folks is realistic and hilarious. The music is the perfect accompaniment: refreshing and anticipatory. This timeless tale of rediscovering happiness after great loss has so many subtly funny moments. About the title: I'm wondering whether it alludes to Markus being a special fish out of water, far away from his Swedish homeland. Or perhaps, delicacy is a reference to how in matters of the heart, we ought to take extra care with others and refrain from judging by external appearance since we all have our own quirks and had our share of heartaches that leads to a desire to self-protect and maintain a sense of balance. All I know for sure, is that this film is a rare treat, not at all your garden variety offering. It's one-of-a-kind. Hooray for the underdogs. Hooray for storytelling that doesn't sock you with gratuitous violence, nudity, or foul language just to appear edgy. This film is the magic of small moments and ordinary people that reaffirm your appreciation for both the brevity of life and seizing golden opportunities while you can- even if it bucks conventional wisdom. We all have just one life to live- so we best enjoy!

human2 I've seen this movie at a theatre mostly because of the always extremely funny Francois Damiens, even if the story seemed interesting. Overall it's a good entertaining picture but in my opinion more of a "chick flix" made for woman viewers, some peoples like me might find it a bit too long. Basically the story is about a woman named Nathalie who is in love with her boyfriend when he die after being hit by a car... Her boss named Charles Delamain try to seduce her all through the movie, but she always refuse saying he's not her kind of guy. Finally she meet Markus, and something begin to blossom between them. Audrey Tautou is very competent as Nathalie whom she portay with energy, which is not the case for Francois Damiens who is really sleeping and don't add much... Overall it's still 5 times better than atrocities like "La Graine et le Mulet" whom I couldn't bear watching more than 30 minutes, but in my opinion it's still a bit too long, considering it's only an average love story movie...

moviexclusive Attempting to restate her claim as the queen of French rom-coms, Audrey Tautou returns in yet another soufflé-light offering playing a young widow who falls in love with a balding Swedish man who is older, less attractive and less successful than her. Better still, their unlikely love story takes place against the age-old taboo of office romances- but even before the obligatory obstacles from both their personal and professional lives roll along, you already guess that the pair of opposites will eventually end up together.Indeed, much as the movie tries to differentiate itself by injecting tragedy into the mix, there's little mistaking that first-time directors David and Stéphane Foenkinos- the former of whom also wrote the novel on which the movie is based- never did intend to veer away from the requisite happily-ever-after ending of the typical rom-com. All that remains to be seen is whether or not the journey to that destination is worth the ride- and the answer in this case is only a slight yes.Of the film's three acts- the first beginning with Nathalie (Tautou) and Francois' (Pio Marmai) whirlwind romance and ending with the latter's unexpected death; the second detailing the tentative courtship between Nathalie and said Swedish colleague Markus (Francois Damiens); and the last demonstrating their willingness to preserve their relationship despite the objections of friends and colleagues- only the middle one proves engaging with its 'Amelie-like' whimsical mood.Sparked off by Nathalie's decision to kiss Markus on a whim, this utterly charming middle section wittily observes the unintended consequences from that very impulse. In a clever switch of archetypes, it is Markus who turns out totally smitten by Nathalie, so much so that he deliberately runs away when he senses he may be falling too deeply in love with her. That scene set on a bridge against the backdrop of the Eiffel Tower is one of the funniest in the movie- ditto for another in which Nathalie takes the initiative to ask him out for a play over office messaging just as his Google search turns out the exact same date idea.In comparison to the playful simplicity of the second act, Foenkinos' tries to cram too much into the first, trying to create a sympathetic character in Nathalie. Unfortunately, the tragic turn of events that leads Nathalie to throw herself into work for the next three years before she meets Markus fails to resonate, and seems wholly unnecessary to the central romance between the two co-workers. The third act fares slightly better, but a melodramatic turn sparked off by a heated exchange between Nathalie and her boss Charlie (Bruno Todeschini) who also fancies her is amateurish and changes the tone of the film too jarringly.Thankfully, the movie does finish on a winning note with a beautiful fantasy sequence shot in one single take- though that alone does not distract from the fact that the filmmakers lack the dexterity at rolling romance, comedy and drama into one. The directors' inexperience also shows in the way they have both Nathalie and Markus narrate their own thoughts at random points in the movie, never using the voiceovers as an effective technique to get to know the characters better or to put a spin on the story (a la 'She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not').Tautou is once again typecast as the gamine with the pixie-ish appeal, and though she is as lovely as she was in 'Amelie', it's clear this role was never much of a stretch for the actress to begin with. The scene- stealer here however is her co-star Damiens, an unlikely choice for a rom-com, but one perfectly suited for the role here with his wide goofy smile and disarming genuineness. You'll easily root for Damiens, and consequently his romance with Tautou to succeed in the movie.Despite its name, this French rom-com is no delicacy, though it has its fair share of winning moments to make it more than an entertaining trifle. Don't expect it too to be a smart satire on office romances- indeed, it is too genial and whimsical to offer much on the subject. The best it does is fill out the gap for the rom-com genre until the next one rolls along, when almost certainly it will be forgotten. www.moviexclusive.com