Currently in limited release theaters, PRICELESS is an amazing romantic comedy from director Pierre Salvadori (Après Vous) (with subtitles– the entire movie is in French) starring Audrey Tautou, well-known French comedian Gad Elmaleh along with other well-chosen actors.
The basic plot is: Jean (Gad Elmaleh), a shy young bartender, is mistaken for a millionaire by a beautiful, scheming opportunist, Irene (Audrey Tautou). When Irene discovers his true identity, she abandons him– only to find that a lovelorn Jean has no intention of letting go. Jean’s comical attempts to gain her affections gradually evolve into setting himself up as a gigolo at a luxury hotel until Irene finally starts to warm to her persistent, persuasive suitor. Set in a wildly atmospheric backdrop of the south of France, Priceless might be seen as a modern twist on Breakfast at Tiffanys, but is so much more when one sees the chemistry of the key actors.
Vanessa Friedman, Financial Times, discusses the Priceless and compares it to the iconic Breakfast at Tiffanys and discusses the import of the high end fashion. What really clicks in this movie for most women is the girl and the incredible wardrobe that really reveals Audrey Tautou as a knockout. The comparison between Tautou and Hepburn ‘s wardrobe talks about the credibility that the fashions give the characters — equal to the acting. Her article is HERE
What is this film? More than just a flimsy piece, presented in French with English subtitles, it’s an amazing film that captures your attention courtesy of the glorious location and the even more amazing fashions. Deftly directed and filmed, Tautou emerges into a full-blown character that captures our attention with her lifestyle and what she is dealing with in her attempt for financial security.
One too many “outside” flings, Irene’s indiscretions are revealed and she is left destitute. She plays Irene realistically yet we root for her to find some solution– and she does by making Jean pay– literally and figuratively– for what is equally her fault in the events that have occured.
Jean as played by Gad Elmaleh is a bit against type but truly fits in well and as he evolves (and boy does he evolve), he beats Irene (Tautou) at her own game and learns quickly just how to get what he wants from the woman who picks up him and turns him into a kept man– though never giving him any spending money but tons of baubles and trinkets.
Jean and Irene end up running into each other constantly at various events and when her new lover realizes she is cheating on him, he locks her out of the room. Jean does what every good hero does and saves the girl–without quite getting caught . (Nice touch that little bit). It really made the story flow so much better.
The really killer part of the movie is the amazing clothing that everyone is wearing– and how they are truly at the height of fashion and each person has their own fashion character and style. Jean morphs from a bartender to a well-dressed (kept) gentleman with better manners and the ability to capture a woman’s attention with his wit and his patter of small talk.
This is a great movie and well-worth your $$ and time to go see this. It’s worth every penny and while I didn’t see it in a theater, but as a screener, the subtitles didn’t interfere in fact it seemed that the language made it so much more enjoyable because it was like peeking into a world of which I had heard but but never seen. Incredible! It’s a funny, enchanting movie.
Priceless will be in general release June 13. See more about Priceless at the website
http://www.pricelessthemovie.com/
I can’t wait to see it again!!
Stevie Wilson
www.la-story.com
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