In the end, there is only so long that one can sit and watch trendy French folk sit, smoke, quibble, and drink wine in paradise…
French director Guilluame Canet garnered much acclaim for his 2006 thriller, Tell No One but has followed it up with an enjoyable yet, ever so slightly drawn out, melodramatic comedy.
Actually, I can’t quite make up my mind whether this film is melodrama or comedy but it is definitely suspended awkwardly somewhere in the middle. Don’t take me the wrong way, I mean, the viewer is treated to fantastic scenes of South West France as a group of bourgeois late-thirtysomething mutual friends take their annual vacation in Cap Ferret. You will want to visit…
Led by the wealthy patriarch of the bunch, Max (Francois Cluzet) who hosts the friends each year at his beach house, the group have decided to take their holiday despite the fact that their good friend Ludo sits in a coma in a hospital in Paris after a recent scooter accident. Convinced there is nothing they can do to help him if they stay the group decide to take their holiday knowing they will only ever be a short drive away.
Unfortunately, it was the opening scenes introducing Ludo and leading up to his accident as cameras trail him through a nightclub then through Paris’ streets by scooter, which were the most gripping. Canet managed to assemble a quality cast of well-known French actors (who are great) yet still the film comes across as bloated and at least half an hour too long.
Of course, there are the little white lies that the title suggests. Each member of this group has their own little secrets, which, at times, makes for entertaining viewing.
Although the resolution packs quite an emotional punch, the tears it may produce feel just a little too forced. The acting is top notch and if anything, it’s the individual characters that keep this film above water. Little White Lies is a well-shot piece of French cinema, which makes an honest attempt to portray the awkward dynamics rife in most of the circles of friends I can think of. The soundtrack, albeit very 1970s USA, is also great.
In the end, there is only so long that one can sit and watch trendy French folk sit, smoke, quibble, and drink wine in paradise. Fans of French cinema may enjoy this and those who dream of skimming across the azure waters of Cap Ferret in a fancy French speedboat will be satisfied. There just isn’t nearly enough comedic moments to make it worth seeing for its comedy alone. The resolution is convincing, and tear jerking, but this time, Canet just took a little to long to get there.
C. Alex de Freitas
20 August, 2011
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