Reviewed by Rama Gaind.
Writer/director: Sophie Lellouche, Madman Entertainment.
A feel-good French romantic comedy that sees first-time director Sophie Lellouche maintaining a story to be as feathery and insignificant as is necessary.
A sort of reverential homáge to Woody Allen, it heavily imitating his style, Lellouche also includes Allen as a minor character, dispensing advice to the protagonist via snippets of dialogue from his films.
Fixated with Allen’s movies, unpretentiously naïve pharmacist Alice Ovitz (Alic Taglioni) makes choices in life and love that are shaped by the philosophies of her favourite filmmaker.
She participates in make-believe conversations, continually quotes lines from his films and takes pride in prescribing his classic works to her customers to help assuage their disorders. Hannah and Her Sisters has a lot to answer for!
It’s no wonder that this thirtysomething idealist is still single. Her Jewish parents fret over the fact that she’s unmarried, and try to set her up with every eligible bachelor around. There comes a time when she has a hard time choosing from two emerging suitors, Vincent and Victor. However, the scenario changes somewhat with the entry of Victor (Patrick Bruel), an abrupt alarms specialist who produces modified security systems that are a treat.
Then, with the help of Victor, but almost by accident, Alice eventually meets Woody Allen on the streets of Paris!
Victor seems to spend most of the time in a state of subdued uncertainty. His ill-fated efforts to woo Alice provide the base of much of the comedy.
Taglioni radiates refinement and warm-heartedness. Along with Bruel, the lead actors sustain the weaknesses of their characters and keep in check the unpleasant eccentricities. Their gibes and repartee are amusing.
Inessential subplots have Alice risking so-called philanderers and likely drug-dealers resulting in underdone deviations. With English subtitles, Paris-Manhattan is on DVD and features sincere eagerness – and a director’s dexterity.
