Most Helpful Customer Reviews
49 of 49 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Romantic, charming, funny; in short, irresistible!, March 16, 2000
By A Customer
There is no other movie in my collection that gets watched as often as this one. The story line is quite simple but the acting by the entire cast makes every line and every situation seem fresh and funny, even after scores of viewings. I am not generally a Meg Ryan fan but this movie shows her broad range of abilities, from physical comedy (the run in with the dessert cart, or suffering from the ill effects of lactose intolerance) to subtle poignancy (watch her facial expressions change in the very last scene on the airplane). Smaller roles are exquisitely played, from the always incomparable Jean Reno as a French policeman to the fine character actor who plays the concierge at the Hotel George V in Paris - an absolute gem of a performance in every respect and a one person commentary on the entire French persona. The French countryside is beautifully photographed, especially the wine country that is so central to the plot, and there are lovely glimpses of Paris as well. But for me the performance by Kevin Kline tops everything. His character is both incredibly complex and laugh out loud funny in this movie, and also wonderfully sensual. From one scene to the next we understand more and more what he thinks and feels. Bet you can't watch it just once! Bet you'll start quoting sections of dialogue at the drop of a hat! Bet you buy the first rate soundtrack (includes Kevin Kline singing in French).
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49 of 54 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
French and Fabulous!, September 8, 2004
Sometimes a romantic comedy comes along that pulls at so many strings and is appealing on so many levels that you have to watch it at least once or twice a year...this movie happens to be one of those special treats.
Paris becomes her own character in this beautiful comedy filled with the romance of a great city all under the watch of the sparkling Eiffel. This movie is directed by Lawrence Kasdan and he works the film around beautiful scenic French views leaving viewer's that love Paris breathless and begging for more. The storyline is humorous and the actors perfectly cast in roles that they seem natural at playing. The film is effortless to watch and that must be why it draws me in year after year.
Meg Ryan plays a woman engaged to Timothy Hutton in a boring and predictable little relationship. Things change drastically when Hutton goes to Paris on business and leaves Ryan at home because she is afraid to fly. But there is nothing like an old jealous heart to overcome such a silly phobia and Ryan finds herself on a plane to Paris to save her man from the arms of a beautiful young Parisian. Aboard the plane she meets Kevin Kline, who represents all things stereotypically French! Ryan is always perfect as the girl next door who stumbles about trying to stay in love. She is cute and perky as usual. Hutton is staid and serious until he is seduced by a vibrant and passionate French woman and begins his mid-life crisis falling for the belief that this seductress wants him and not his salary. Kline is convincingly French, with his wild haired and open minded talk, his always present dismissing pout and his passion for life. The fun begins as the plane lands in Paris and it never ends.
If you love France this film will romance you many times over. The cast is great together and the romantic comedy great for the heart. From the most romantic city in the world Kasdan gives us a new reason to dance and a desire to kiss as the French do!
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17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Almost Five Stars, February 28, 2005
I have loved this movie for some time, and just saw it again. It's entertaining, sweet, and plain old fun.
It maybe isn't the most realistic, but for romantic escapism, it's tops. Kevin Klein is great here, as usual, and believable as a Frenchman thief who finds his heart stolen by a whimsical, befuddled woman (Meg Ryan).
I'm not a big Meg Ryan fan, but she's wonderful in this piece, and makes a remarkable transformation on screen from horrified, squeaky girl to remarkable and capable woman. Klein undergoes a similar softening transformation. It's a subtle and gradual change for both, and the effectiveness and tightness of the screenplay and dialog contribute to a wonderfully-entertaining overall product that I can watch over and over again.
The pacing is great and the supporting characters (particularly the concierge at the hotel) are wonderful and help contribute to the fun.
I had a copy, but a friend "borrowed" it indefinitely. Now that's a sincere endorsement.
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