RUSSIAN DOLLS (LES POUPEES RUSSES) (2006) |
|
Starring Romain Duris,
Audrey Tautou, Cécile
DeFrance, Kelly Reilly, Kevin Bishop, Evguenya Obraztsova, Irene Montala,
Lucy Gordon, Gary Love, Aïssa Maiga, Oliver Saladin, Martine DeMaret,
Pierre Cassignard, Cristina Brondo, Federico D'Anna, Barnaby Metschurat
and Christian Pagh.
Screenplay by Cedric
Klapisch.
Directed by Cedric
Klapisch.
Distributed by IFC Films. 129 minutes. Not Rated. |
|
Russian Dolls
Russian Dolls is the
sequel to the 2002 film L'Auberge Espagnole, a film about a varied
group of twenty-somethings sharing a flat in Barcelona. I never saw
it, but always heard good things about that movie. Watching the new
film I often felt that I had missed points in the original that would make
this new film make a little more sense. Not that it was hard to figure
out, just that some character points have been established earlier that
would explain who these people are and why they do what they do.
Without seeing the first, they are just sort of plopped down in the middle.
Just like real life, come to think of it.
In theory, the film is
about the group reuniting in St. Petersburg, Russia, for the wedding of one
of the guys, a Brit who has fallen for a prima ballerina from the former
Soviet Republic. I say in theory, because the actual wedding plays
just a small part in the movie; maybe the last half hour at the most, with
just a few brief sections leading up to it earlier.
Instead the film revolves
around the romantic travails of Xavier (Romain Duris), a French wannabe
writer who seems to get involved with an amazing amount of women, all of
which he screws up every bit as spectacularly. For a man who is
convinced he has no luck at love – and who often proves it – there are
still an incredible amount of women orbiting him; his ex-girlfriend who he
still holds a flame for (Audrey Tautou), a beautiful salon worker, a lesbian
roommate (Cécile DeFrance), a supermodel
(Lucy Gordon), a British fellow writer (and sister of the marrying friend)
(Kelly Reilly) and several more.
In the hands of less
talented filmmakers, Xavier's crisis of romantic faith might seem shallow
and self-centered. While no one will ever call Russian Dolls a
deep film, writer/director Cedric Klapisch has made his travails charmingly
whimsical and romantic. We know Xavier will do absolutely the wrong
thing at every crossroads, but we grow to care enough about him that we do
feel sympathy and hope that he will finally work his way through and find
true love.
(10/06)
Alex
Diamond
Copyright ©2006
PopEntertainment.com. All rights reserved.
Posted: October 10, 2006. 
|
RETURN TO MOVIE REVIEWS MENU
 
Copyright ©2006
PopEntertainment.com. All rights reserved.
Posted: October 10, 2006.
|
