Customer Reviews

Priceless (English Subtitled)

5 star:		(29)
4 star:		(17)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

"Priceless" (Hors de prix) is a romantic comedy of a sort only the French would make. Jean Simon (Gad Elmaleh) is a bartender at a posh hotel on the French Riviera so conditioned to fulfill the guests' every wish that he can't say "no". Irene Mercier (Audrey Tautou) is an attractive young woman kept by a wealthy older man whom she hopes to marry to secure a life of luxury. When Irene's companion Jacques (Vernon Dobtcheff) falls asleep and spoils her plans for the evening, Irene dejectedly saunters to the hotel bar, where she mistakes Jean for a rich guest. Jean sheepishly accommodates her mistake, and they have a drunken fling. When she returns to the hotel a year later, engaged to Jacques, their mutual attraction threatens her marriage plans, Jean's job, and everyone's equilibrium.

This is a genuinely charming and funny film, but I had to laugh at its effrontery as well as it script. "Priceless" adopts a jaunty, optimistic tone at the point when Jean and Irene begin prostituting themselves to rich patrons. This film would not be made in the Untied States. It accepts the casual exchange of sex for money as an amusing and self-evident aspect of life, and sexual jealousy simply does not exist. Irene couldn't be more charming than when she attempts to educate a smitten Jean on the arts of gold-digging and seduction. Irene and Jean's meal tickets, the wealthy bon vivants that keep them in designer fashions, are interesting and smart people themselves, which helps elevate the film.

And there is always something interesting going on the background. I enjoyed director Pierre Salvadori's peeks behind the scenes at how luxury hotels function. I was impressed by his respect for the support staffs that keep the hotels running, and it enhanced the feeling of grandeur that Irene single-mindedly seeks. "Priceless" was obviously inspired by "Breakfast at Tiffany's", a film that I don't care for. It is not as coy about the lady's profession, however. And Jean and Irene are much more appealing and good-humored leads. "Priceless" is a very good-looking film, a scandalous tale that wisely gives no hint of scandal, with a smart, funny script. There are no bonus features on the First Look 2008 DVD. Subtitles are available in English SDH and Spanish.

This gem sparkles like diamonds on display in Tiffany's. Audrey Tautou shows her physical beauty and amazing acting range, pulling off a seemingly impossible character arc from selling her self to the highest bidder to finding true love. Twists along the way let us see the world from all points of view, a rare thing in storytelling. Having it all feel seamless and natural is an amazing tour de force by actors, writers, film crew and the director. "Priceless" is one of the very few romantic comedies that can be watched again without losing an ounce of its punch. And whoever did the costumes for Ms. Tautou deserves an Academy Award.

I'm going out on a limb and giving this film 5 stars. No it's not epic long lasting cinema, but it's a perfectly enjoyable, wonderfully well made, bit of entertainment. It's in the same vein as Cousin Cousine Cousin, Cousine, or when you read the synopsis, not a movie you would want to watch. However, the French have this ability to make films that take what, to American sensibility, would be an offensive film, and make it charming.

This film is a little charming film. From the start you are drawn in, beautiful scenery, an intriguing bell man (Jean) working hard to make money. Working so hard, Jean actually falls asleep standing up while working. And the counterpart is a young woman (Irene) with an older man. He passes out drunk on her birthday and she ends up with the Jean. You can think long and hard about what Irene does or is, but why? By this time you are hooked on the charm of this film. Just go along, enjoy the ride.

The scenery in and around Nice is wonderful. The people are beautiful. The language gorgeous. The sun, the sea, just enjoy.

We watched this movie on a cold December snowy evening, and enjoyed the full two hours non-stop.

The subtitles / translation is done rather well. The only nit to pick, the name of the film. Hors de Prix is more like outrageously priced, or extremely expensive. It's not necessarily pricelss. With the matercard ads we lean more to priceless meaning, can't be bought for any money. Like Jean, hors de prix, humans can buy these things, they might just have to take out loans to buy them. Priceless things can't be bought.

As was said in another review, the sex bits are very subtle. It's definately a romantic film. This is really a PG-13 film if you used language (the f word is never said or subtitled), nudity (there is none), and violence (somebody gets slapped with no blood) as your gauge (as the MPAA does on American films). However, the topic, well it's probably not going to be interesting to anyone under 15 or 16 anyway.

Very enjoyable film. Charming. A real pleasure to watch. A great cold night watch.

Reason enough for watching this film is gazing at the beauty of Audrey Tautou for 2 hours. I watched it twice within 24 hours before my online rental expired. I think she does a great job some of my favorite moments from her: when she first meets Jean and is perturbed about the missing barman, that face of frustration for a drink was classic, when she is waiting for her rich old lover to go to sleep and he won't, the expressions she makes are incredibly dead on, and the scene where she is locked out of her room and is sitting by the pool shivering. The scene where Jean shows off his new watch is also a great one. I think my favorite thing about this film is how good the moments are when their is no dialogue. That is what sets it apart. Jean gives Irene a euro for 10 seconds of her time. With that 10 seconds he gazes upon her beauty in wonder - loved it!

Languages always lose something in translation. I'm not a French scholar but as I understand the original title of the film, "Hors de Prix," the meaning intended is that the subject (l'amour) is something beyond price. It is a much stronger term than "priceless" and I don't believe English has an exact translation. "Hors" means it is in a completely different realm from price, whereas "priceless" in English can be interpreted as being merely very expensive, such as a fine work of art.

This crucial difference is exemplified in one of the final lines of the film. When Irène is asked what she plans to do in the coming days, she suddenly abandons her life-long quest for wealth and financial security. In an moving epiphany that can be read on her face, Irène replies softly but directly with a single word: L'amour.

L'amour: yes, priceless.

But l'amour is something more, something completely outside the realm of price.

Leave it to the French to understand that l'amour is hors de prix.

I know that everyone talks up Audrey and it is for good reason. Even though French is not my first language you can just see the charm in her acting. This movie is quirky, cute and just plain enjoyable!

America is a hot spring for romantic comedies. You have your meet cute, then strife, then happy ending formula that works with their target audience. Where Priceless varies from the above is that you cannot predict the next step down the road.

I truly enjoyed the acting of Tautou and Elmaleh. Both characters were endearing while still engaging in a profession of questionable morality. I have read some reviews which suggest the main characters are taking advantage of their hosts in a parasitic manner. I'd disagree wholly; it is a mutualistic relationship where both parties benefit.

The movie is based upon the same Truman Capote book Breakfast at Tiffany's was; however, this was remarkably more enjoyable to watch. I would endorse this film to anyone I know. Also, it is available as of 2/8/11 on Netflix on Demand, but this movie is worth purchasing and adding to your collection.

I loved this movie, which is extremely well produced and photographed in the Euro playgrounds of Monte Carlo. Audrey Tatou is adorable as an amoral high class escort, but even better is Gad Elmaleh, a popular French - Moroccan comedian and a master of the small gesture, the subtle expression. As other reviewers have noted, their relationship lacks chemistry - but this is a light-hearted romantic comedy, not a passionate drama. Very well done and much fun.

PRICELESS ( Hors de Prix) manages to puff along on its rather slim story line and keep the audience interested primarily due to the presence of Audrey Tautou. Though the script by Benoît Graffin and Pierre Salvador is loaded with good lines and despite the fact that director Pierre Salvadori manages to keep the appearance of the film full of glossy fun, the story thins after the first hour and pleads for some tighter editing.

The location is the French Riviera and the action takes place in the elegant Biarritz Hotel where we discover Irène (Audrey Tautou) as a gold digger whose career focus is finding a man of wealth who can support her expensive tastes. Tautou has never looked more glamorous than she does here and we can understand why the sugar daddies of the world vie for her attention. While preparing for her birthday celebration, Irène takes too long dressing and her current paramour falls asleep. Not wanting to be alone on her special day she goes in all her resplendent glory to the hotel bar. There she meets Jean (Gad Elmaleh) who happens to be the bartender and hotel employee but who Irène mistakes for a man of wealth. Their mutual attraction, despite the mismatch of perceptions, results in a wild night of love - Jean being careful not to allow Irène to know of his true status as a poor worker. A year passes and the two meet again under similar circumstances and as the true identities are unveiled Irène teaches Jean how to be a gigolo, only to have the tables turn in a predictable way.

This is a bit of French fluff and goes on far too long, but there is Tautou on the screen, beautiful and buoyant and irresistible - and that makes up for a lot. In French with English subtitles. Grady Harp, December 08

Priceless is Audrey Tautou's most playful and comedic role since Amelie! Good to see her again in a light-hearted farce and enjoy her competition against the leading man in the movie. This is well worth the purchase and will entertain you many times over. Love the Blu-ray!