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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
28 of 29 people found the following review helpful
When I first started to watch World Cinema it was the French films that charmed me first, I have watched films from all corners of the world since then however I always enjoy a return to my first (world cinema)love the French films, so this film was a delight as well as a reminder of those earlier days.
This film was France's submission for the 2006 Foreign Language Oscar, however it did not make it through to the final choice, probably because it is a charming rather than a gritty film.
The location for the film is the theatre district of Paris and we get to meet some of the characters that cross paths at a cafe. The film is mainly seen through the eyes of a young woman who has come to Paris full of tales of the luxury life from her grandmother.
Cecile De France plays the character of the young woman at the centre of the film and she lights it up. In her time at the cafe she comes across a frustrated Concert Pianist who wants to give up the grind of the International Circuit, a Millionare Businessman selling off all his possesions with a gold digger and suspicious/jealous son in close proximity and a popular soap star who wants to impress a visiting American director.
We just sit back and watch these characters ups and downs, played out on the gorgeous backdrop of Paris. I loved it.
This film was France's submission for the 2006 Foreign Language Oscar, however it did not make it through to the final choice, probably because it is a charming rather than a gritty film.
The location for the film is the theatre district of Paris and we get to meet some of the characters that cross paths at a cafe. The film is mainly seen through the eyes of a young woman who has come to Paris full of tales of the luxury life from her grandmother.
Cecile De France plays the character of the young woman at the centre of the film and she lights it up. In her time at the cafe she comes across a frustrated Concert Pianist who wants to give up the grind of the International Circuit, a Millionare Businessman selling off all his possesions with a gold digger and suspicious/jealous son in close proximity and a popular soap star who wants to impress a visiting American director.
We just sit back and watch these characters ups and downs, played out on the gorgeous backdrop of Paris. I loved it.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
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This is a very charming feel-good film - very French too - and gave me a lot of pleasure. It is not a great film, but it makes no attempt to be such ; it is witty, engaging, fresh, very well acted and shot, and a pleasure from start to finish. Jessica, an unpretentious, pretty, good-natured girl with a very attractive gamine quality and a great fondness for her Granny who brought her up, gets a job at a cafe next to a theatre and concert hall. She meets and interacts with an ageing collector, his troubled lecturer son, a manic-depressive actress, the 'concierge' of the concert hall, who is a performer manque, and an international concert pianist. unsure of his future. Their problems are all resolved in one way or another and in the course of this, her life takes a new and welcome turn ; and the film ends very happily with Jessica treating her granny by fulfilling a wish that she always held but was never able to realise. All the performances are good, but particularly Cecile de France in the pivotal role of Jessica. Finally, the film is beautifully paced and structured and there are some wonderful shots of Paris.
11 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Cecile De France plays Jessica, a new arrival in the capital who works as a waitress in a cafe that adjoins a theatre, a concert hall and a prestigious auction house.
In these venues rehearsals and preparations are underway for three contiguous events: the first night of a production of a Feydeau farce starring a successful soap actress who is seeking artistic fulfilment (Valerie Lemercier), a Beethoven recital by an accomplished pianist who finds the conventions of classical recitals too restrictive (Albert Dupontel) and an ageing art connoisseur's (Claude Brasseur) auction of his entire collection.
All of these artistic souls frequent the cafe and Jessica sallies forth between these interlinking storylines and characters, bringing sweetness and light wherever possible.
Despite having some of the trappings of a romantic comedy this is no Gallicised version of a Richard Curtis film. There are weightier matters at hand: the three principal characters have devoted their lives to art but what lives have they got in return? Lermercier has the choice to continue earning easy money in her soap career or make an artistically fulfilling film about Simone de Beauvoir, Brasseur has to decide whether all the art he has amassed should be transformed into lucre and Dupontel wants to stop playing to reserved high society audiences and bring his music to the masses.
Director Daniele Thompson (who wrote the film with her son Christopher) has obviously been inspired by Robert Altman's multi-character pieces and pulls off her homage with brio.
Lazy reviewers (me included) may find it easy to draw parallels with Amelie (Gamine waitress? Check... Luminous shots of Paris? Check... Romantic issues up in the air? Check...) but this is a cooler, more restrained affair.
France (the actress, not the country) is a charming protagonist and the rest of the cast lend able support including Annelise Hesme, who is better known on these shores as the French girl in the Renault ads and Sydney Pollack who adds authority as a Hollywood film director attempting to persuade Lemercier to star in his de Beauvoir biopic.
In these venues rehearsals and preparations are underway for three contiguous events: the first night of a production of a Feydeau farce starring a successful soap actress who is seeking artistic fulfilment (Valerie Lemercier), a Beethoven recital by an accomplished pianist who finds the conventions of classical recitals too restrictive (Albert Dupontel) and an ageing art connoisseur's (Claude Brasseur) auction of his entire collection.
All of these artistic souls frequent the cafe and Jessica sallies forth between these interlinking storylines and characters, bringing sweetness and light wherever possible.
Despite having some of the trappings of a romantic comedy this is no Gallicised version of a Richard Curtis film. There are weightier matters at hand: the three principal characters have devoted their lives to art but what lives have they got in return? Lermercier has the choice to continue earning easy money in her soap career or make an artistically fulfilling film about Simone de Beauvoir, Brasseur has to decide whether all the art he has amassed should be transformed into lucre and Dupontel wants to stop playing to reserved high society audiences and bring his music to the masses.
Director Daniele Thompson (who wrote the film with her son Christopher) has obviously been inspired by Robert Altman's multi-character pieces and pulls off her homage with brio.
Lazy reviewers (me included) may find it easy to draw parallels with Amelie (Gamine waitress? Check... Luminous shots of Paris? Check... Romantic issues up in the air? Check...) but this is a cooler, more restrained affair.
France (the actress, not the country) is a charming protagonist and the rest of the cast lend able support including Annelise Hesme, who is better known on these shores as the French girl in the Renault ads and Sydney Pollack who adds authority as a Hollywood film director attempting to persuade Lemercier to star in his de Beauvoir biopic.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Sweet, but bland
Charming, saccharine-sweet, gentle, romantic... and, sadly, a completely uninspired rom-com by numbers. Read more
Published 7 days ago by Mr. Stuart Bruce
Makes me want to go to Paris
Orchestra Seats is an enjoyable French film that just makes you want to hop on Eurostar and head to Paris. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Mikey
On Success and Dissatisfaction
Why did I buy this DVD? Because I saw it at the cinema and thought it to be quirky enough and moving enough to deserve watching again. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Nicholas Casley
Charming enough but no real depth
Quite enjoyed this film although I don't think it was quite as good as publicity suggested it might be. Read more
Published on 7 Mar 2010 by Ian Thumwood
Orchestra Seats
Valerie Lemercier is a treat, and the movie as a whole is well balanced, good comedy, with that human sentiment portrayed so well by French Cinema, all participants play their... Read more
Published on 2 Feb 2010 by Peter Watson
Andrew
One of my favourite films. Saw it on TV and had to get the DVD - one of only a very small number. Mostly I am content to wait until a film comes around again. Read more
Published on 25 Mar 2009 by Andrew Preston
Witty, Clever French film
as the ad says - you want to hop on eurostar and go to Paris right away! - Fabulous shots of Paris. Not wholly a flick chic - but no car chases, no violance - just a good quality,... Read more
Published on 13 Mar 2007 by Mrs. D. L. Tickner
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