Priceless (2007) - At The Movies Review

Priceless

A lightweight French soufflé is arriving on our screens in the form of Priceless.

It's about the haves and the have nots. Jean, (GAD ELMALEH) works at a 5 star hotel in Biarritz as bartender, dogminder, you name it.

Irene, (AUDREY TAUTOU) is pretty much a Holly Golightly. She's the mistress of wealthy older men, getting baubles and beads in the hope of a long term commitment. Taking time out one night she mistakes Jean for a younger version of what she's aiming for.

When they reconnect in the South of France Irene wants nothing to do with Jean, the loser. She compromises him financially but he's saved at the last minute by a wealthy widow Madeleine, (MARIE CHRISTINE ADAM), who thinks he's a gigolo.

Of course while these two continue to deceive the people who are bountiful to them they are becoming increasingly attracted to one another.

There was something tacky about this film, as if all is excused for love.

And I know for some people the lovely Audrey Tautou can do no wrong her character is slightly unpalatable for far too long here. Gad Elmaleh portrays the dorkish loser with some charm I must admit.

Co-written and directed by Pierre Salvadori, it is the Breakfast at Tiffany's of our time. But do we really need one for our time? If you ever wanted to know what life is like in one of those 5 star hotels this is the film for you.

MARGARET: Isn't it, David?

DAVID: It's interesting you should mention BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S because one thing the two films do have in common is that they both made smoking look glamorous.

MARGARET: Oh, come on, David, yes, yes...

DAVID: No, no, no, but I think it's a serious thing these days. I mean, I think films should stop doing that.

MARGARET: Do you know what I think? I think 'Breakfast at Tiffany's' had a charm about the character of Holly Golightly...

DAVID: It did. Oh, sure.

MARGARET: That just doesn't exist in this film...

DAVID: No; and an even better comparison, I think, would be with some of the films that lube itch made in the '30s, which were all about very elegant people doing very immoral things, but they were so elegantly made and so well acted...

MARGARET: Lightness of touch.

DAVID: With such a light touch. But this, I don't know. I mean, Audrey Tautou has been glammed to the nines. She's hardly recognisable from AMELIE, isn't she? But there is something - I don't know, I'm not at all a prude, but I found something a bit...

MARGARET: It sounds like we're moralistic about it, and I don't want to be that at all.

DAVID: No.

MARGARET: But, if you do it with wit and style, you can get away with murder, I reckon.

DAVID: Yes. It's a bit plodding, I guess, isn't it, really, the treatment of the story. I'm beginning to think that we're missing out on some really good French films because we seem to be getting - the ones that seem to be released seem to be a little bit disappointing to me.