Beanbioca
As Good As It Gets
Baseshment
I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.
Kaydan Christian
A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.
Lalpera
One may wonder what it was all about, when they got out of the movie theater after watching this movie. I did. I felt half perplexed, half bewildered. What is it Alix really after or why she thought she would get it from a stranger does not stack up. And most of the scenes somewhat did not stack up credibility. Scenes look like staged up coincidences with many flaws and gaps. Such as, Alix going to a funeral of a person she did not even know, just to meet the stranger in the train she was obsessed with. Adding further confusion, Doug somewhat shows that he does not know what was going around him either. A particular irrational scene was when Alix tells Doug that she is seven months pregnant. He doesn't seem surprised and plays quite cool about it which is confusing. It doesn't add any value to the movie and actually questions what it brings to the smooth flow of their romance. The end scenes are still confusing too. It looks Alix is confused what to do with her partner Antoine who never shows up in the movie. She obviously gets sick of him but her sudden invitation to him for her show, just after leaving Doug is mind twisting.However, the acting of both Devos and Byrne are exemplary. Director Bonnell uses close-ups quite often, quite smartly. Especially the facial expressions and sharp, haunting eyes of Devos stands quite tall in the movie which successfully fill the gaps in the storyline to a greater extent. Byrne mostly succeeds in playing the right facial expressions too, helps to build up the consistency of the rhythm of the movie.There is not much of a story, and Bonnell could have done a better job by making his own screenplay a trustworthy one. If it was not for the great acting of the main two characters, the movie doesn't hold much matter. Major portion of my ratings of 7 is absolutely for the performances of Alix and Doug.
Jeff H
Yes, I have seen movies with this exact same plot, but this film is constructed so well that it keeps me guessing as to the main character's, Alix's, motivation for beginning the affair, and thus sustains my interest in watching the relationship unfold until the end. The cinematography was beautiful. I think Gabriel Byrne was hard to believe in his role, but only because I have seen him in so many action driven/ plot device driven films that the subtle, understated twist and turns of this movie seemed a mismatch for him. I loved the introduction of the family drama. What I could have done without was the constant phone calls but even they grew on me. Emmanuelle Devos was incredible and carried her part off well. I would whole heartedly recommend this movie. It is not simply a romance but a complete dramatic character study.
eyeforbeauty
I found this to be much better than other reviews had led me to expect. It's not a film that offers a moral or any special psychological insight. But it is very colorful, intelligent, and involving, I thought. (It is also VERY funny in spots!)This is a film that offers a quite life-like portrait of two people at a particular juncture in their lives. There's nothing spectacularly memorable in the plot, but it offers its portrait in a very lovely, rewarding way.Emmanuelle Devos is just wonderful in this. I've seen her in at least a dozen previous films, but I felt like I was only really seeing her in film for the very first time in this movie, so full and present was her role and performance.So I'd say for fans and admirers of Devos, this film is a must-see. As for Gabriel Byrne, I strongly disagree with reviews that suggest his performance was expressionless or monotone. He is after all playing a character who is genuinely bereaved, and he does convey a grim stoicism appropriate to such a situation. But that only serves to make the moments when he conveys notably different emotions even more affecting.The characters played by Devos and Byrne are not the sole characters in the film, by the way, and this is not at all a film that takes place statically in just one location (which was the impression I had gained from reviews), so the film also offers varied scenery and a lively sprinkling of encounters with other personages.
GUENOT PHILIPPE
I went to watch this feature only because there was nothing else interesting released this week in movie theatres. I could not have watched for instance IRON MAN 3 crap, even for a million bucks. I am only human. So, I decided to watch this one. It's not my type pf film, but this sort of tale is from time to time interesting to watch. The scheme of a man and a woman meet aboard a train. Of course, anyone could think of David Lean's BRIEF ENCOUNTER. It reminds me another french movie from 1999: UNE LIAISON PORNOGRAPHIQUE, starring Nathalie Baye and Sergi Lopez. This film is made in a very touching and realistic way. Emmenuelle Devos is here at her best, although I don't like her face. But that doesn't prevent her to be a very good actress, poignant, impressive at the most. A really good film.
