Customer Reviews

Love Songs

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Ismael (Louis Garrel, the Gallic version of the adorable young Hugh Grant), lives with Julie (Ludivine Sagnier). Alice (Clotilde Hesme), who works with Ismael, shares their bed and Julie's affections. On a night of tragedy, Jeanne, unawares, hooks up with Gwendal (Yannick Renier), whose teen-aged brother Erwann (Gregoire Leprince-Ringuet) turns out to be the only one who can bring a shattered Ismael back to life, in the most romantic man-on-man love scene since Rupert Grave's Alec Scudder climbed through Maurice's bedroom window 20 years ago. With rain-slicked streets, coffee and cigarettes, references to a dozen French classics, a haunting score and the best balcony scene since "Romeo and Juliet," this low-budget charmer, which has become a cult favorite in France with the under-25 set, is an "Umbrellas of Cherbourg" for the 21st Century.

Even if the French/English translation is not 100% acurate - even if the poetry has been lost in translation - this movie is a real Classico/modern sex tale of 2008.
A love triangle - sadness and love are the main theme of the movie
Great Paris shots - color and black and white - the streets - cafes - cigarettes .............. you are transported in Paris by nights most of the time.
It is the photography and musicality that makes this movie a piece of art - sometimes compared to the "parapluies de cherbourg" because of the songs styles - but for the rest we are in 2008 and deep in it.
This is VERY french, with a real style that is unique and will probably be a Classic in its genre.
If you want a trip to Paris with love stories - this is the one to get

It took me two viewings to warm up to this film: two love stories, one of which takes a tragic turn. The songs sounded mostly indistinguishable initially and like many French musicals, the actors were left to flounder in their movements while singing. But the depth of emotion rang increasingly true, the plot twists felt unforced and ultimately I was won over by its charm, its sweetness (without being cloying) and its sadness.

I caught this film one night on the IFC and although I usually dislike subtitled movies because I get distracted from the action by having to read....I watched it and WOW. The French really know how to make a musical in the non-conformist way. Songs are blended into scenes as casually as breathing and the plots and subplots of each characters stories just weave into each other in a playful way. All of the actors do their own songs in whatever voice they have which gives a "realness" to it and the twists in the story are interesting.
It's a case of boy meets girl meets girl till death us do part and then everyone realizes what boy really wants.
If you like cine-art type films and are not going to roll your eyes when the characters calmly start singing their lines and threesomes, homosexuality and bisexuality don't freak you out...then by all means buy this film to add to your collection. I did after viewing on cable and I love it!

This is perhaps Honore's most accessible film to date, even though it is a polyamorous musical. Louis Garrel continues to impress and the smaller roles of Sagnier and Hesme are given ample room to shine as well. The music is beautiful, particularly the song about the Bastille, sung by Sagnier's character and her family in an opening scene. The even smaller roles of the family members are exquisite. I particularly felt for Mastroianni's character (spelling?)... please watch this film if you are a fan of french cinema, and want to escape reality for some bittersweet Parisian confection.

I won't bore you with the summary because you can find that on IMDB and Wikipedia. I will review the DVD. I was expecting at least some behind the scenes process or making-of for the songs, or even a small segment of interviews and/or commentaries, but there's no extra at all. This DVD only has the movie in it. And although I truly love the film and the songs, it would have been a better DVD if it had extras included.

Beautiful piece in the style of 'Umbrellas of Cherbourg'. Honore employs the talents of some wonderful young actors as well as his own brand of storytelling to create a tender journey of realization.

I loved this movie. It is tragic yet beautiful. It is a story of an alternative love triangle that ends very differently than it begins. If you love french films then i highly recommend this modern musical.

Great movie/musical-only the French can get away with a storyline like this!
I bought the CD too, and am very happy with it.
All the actors have amazing voices and the music is catchy and tres' bien!

I expected a little more from the movie, but in the end you see the changes in the story were necessary and you like it. The music is great and contagious. Don't have many "homoerotic scenes". Despite everything, there is Louis Garrel, which certainly is an actor you should check.