If you’ve ever toyed with the idea of seeing a foreign film but haven’t been sure if you could bear the subtitles or the cultural differences in the storyline then Heartbreaker might just be what you’re looking for…
If you’ve ever toyed with the idea of seeing a foreign film but haven’t been sure if you could bear the subtitles or the cultural differences in the storyline then Heartbreaker might just be what you’re looking for.
Heartbreaker is a French romantic comedy that makes the most of its genre by truly being both laugh-out-loud funny and charmingly romantic. What’s more the story takes place in all the gorgeous French and Italian locals that you’d love to visit if you could fit it on the credit card. In fact this was one of the many refreshing things about the movie: it’s extravagance.
Personally I’ve had enough of film companies using ‘the recession’ as an excuse to make cheap films with badly written scripts and precious little glamour. Not this film though.
Heartbreaker has all the glamour and style of the high budget flicks of old and celebrates its decadence unashamedly.
The story centers around Alex – a charming, irresistibly cool man who makes it his business to break up couples, literally. Working as a team with his sister and brother-in-law, Alex goes to any length to transform any husband, fiancé, or boyfriend into an ex for a fee. But when Juliette’s father promises Alex $50,000 to stop his daughter marrying her near-perfect fiancé he is thrown into a race against time and against love. Think Sweet Home Alabama meets Oceans Eleven.
I suppose it could be said that the idea of breaking up relationships is not one to be promoted or laughed at but the story is written in the way of those back in the day when the jilted lover is the ‘bad guy’ and it all works out for everyone in the end which lets you off the moralistic hook, I think.
Heartbreaker is a first step into the romantic comedy genre for both of the lead actors – Romain Duris and Vanessa Paradis (aka Mrs Johnny Depp) – though you wouldn’t guess it. The casting was excellent and the acting was perfect, albeit outlandish at times.
Backed by a soundtrack filled with all those cheesy songs we secretly love and fronted by a great cast, Heartbreaker is well worth checking out if you’re looking for a funny, innocent, well-paced flick.
Heartbreaker opens in NZ on 21st April 2011.
By Jasmine Pearson 8 March 2011.
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