OSS 117-Cairo-Nest of Spies, Priceless, Noise, Reprise, Roman De Gare, Sangre De Mi Sangre

OSS 117-Cairo-Nest of Spies

Directed by Michel Hazanavicius

"OSS 117-Cairo-Nest of Spies" is a somewhat amusing spoof of James Bond films, probably in a way that is more true to the actual Bond film formula than say the "Austin Powers" movies, but no way nearly as likable or endearing. In fact, some of the jokes here grow flat very quickly, and overstay their welcome. But it is elevated by a very likable performance by Jean Dujardin, who was nominated for a few French film awards for his work here. He plays agent OSS 117, who is distraught after finding out about the death of one of his fellow agents, Jack. We see some rather homosexual humored flashbacks of the two of them spending time at the beach He is sent to find out who did it, getting involved with a group of terrorists in the Middle East, a bunch of skeletons in the middle of the sea, and lastly Nazis, all while at the same time wining and wooing various women, who sometimes turn out to be bad all along.

The film certainly does capture the looks and the feel of the Bond films, right down to the color tinting. And Dujardin is obviously having a lot of fun with the role, but that is not enough to really make it a fully worthwhile endeavor. First of all, the concept of spoofing Bond films isn't exactly an original outing, and this script certainly doesn't have enough jokes to sustain its rather long 100 minute running time. It's the type of film to sought out only if you really need it as a last resort. You're time could be spent worse, but this certainly isn't a straining film to take in or an imperative one to see.

**1/2 of ****

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Priceless

Directed by Pierre Salvadori

"Priceless" is one of those French comedies that seem to like to come out this time of year-disposable, yet enjoyable, light, and very entertaining. Much like "The Valet" or "Apres Vous," "Priceless" tells a somewhat ironic love story, between two rather unlikely people. The two here are Jean and Irene, played by Gad Elmaleh and Audrey Tautou, who is right at home here in her element. Jean is a poor and rather hopeless man who works several jobs, including a nighttime hotel bar-tending job which Irene walks into one night after she cannot sleep. She sees Jean and mistakes him for a rich man-Irene is looking to marry to marry for money which is why she wines and dines older rich men and only them. The two of them spend a night together, but when she finds out who he really is, she ends up milking him for all he is worth as all he wants is a little romance. Eventually he ends up getting involved with a lonely rich woman, in the same hotel as Irene who is starting to con another lonely old man, and something more than expensive clothes and watches begins to come out of this.

"Priceless" does seem to follow a formula for these types of films, but it is entertaining and likable and very sweet. Gad Elmaleh is a fun protagonist to watch, with his Buster Keaton like eyes that seem to contain all the sadness and romance in the world. He reminded me a bit of Dany Boon in last year's "The Valet." Tautou doesn't really have much of a challenge here, and this is a role that can play in her sleep, and sometimes it seems like she does. She never really charmed or wowed me as much as others were, and "Amelie" almost does nothing for me. But "Priceless" is quite enjoyable and very funny.

*** of ****

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Noise

Directed by Henry Bean

The main problem with "Noise" is that there really isn't enough movie to sustain its (painfully) short 90 minutes. A ten minute short film, yes, or maybe-just maybe-twenty. An ironic morality tale, possibly. But in its current state, it is just one awfully executed idea after another. We start by meeting David Owen, played by Tim Robbins, who begins to spout out ideas and problems that all New Yorkers have-the noise is just too damn much. David targets car alarms, and whenever a car alarm goes off he goes and cuts the wires, and also maybe breaks a window or two. The film is told in flashbacks as he is caught by a young woman who demands her money back for her car, but then gets roped into trying to fight for "the cause," all while David is targeted by the cities Mayor, played by William Hurt whose wig is probably worth the ticket.

There is just no movie here-the real plot ends after the first ten minutes, which provide the voice over narration set up, which is quite funny and enjoyable. Any single person who lives in or visits Manhattan often can understand David's plight, so we can relate to him almost right away. But it becomes dull-he breaks a car, he gets arrested, he gets in trouble with his wife, repeat. She eventually does leave him, and than we get thrown into an odd relationship between David and the girl that he is telling the story too, and there is even a misplaced three-way scene which is only there to pad the running time. Bean tries to give his script a message about how everyone is trying to find their own type of perfection to make life worth living, which comes through only because one of the characters states this. The climatic moments where David drills his point home by disrupting a block with an extra loud car alarm in his own car does seem to work, but there is seventy-five minutes in between the start and finish of this empty shell of a movie to get through that is almost painful.

** of ****

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Reprise

Directed by Joachim Trier

"Reprise" is getting some earth-shattering praise, and is certainly is a good film. But I can't help but feel like this debut film-by Joachim Trier who certainly will have a follow-up after the success of this-overdoes it by letting style tell the story more than the characters, who are interesting enough to not be loaded with insert shot after insert shot, and narration that is just completely misplaced. At the start of the film we have Phillip and Erik, who both submit their novels to publishers at the exact same time. Phillip gets his book published first, but ends up having a rather painful crisis, mostly because of his relationship with Kari. When he gets out he tries to duplicate their relationship once again, bringing her to Paris exactly a year after they went the last time, and trying to get her to fall in love with him again through his repetitive "When I get to zero, than you'll be in love with me" and than counting down from ten. We also follow Erik, who ends up getting  his first novel published much later, but actually does have a follow-up later on. 

Trier does a good job at capturing the feeling of being young and getting the first marks of being successful. There is hope in all of these characters at some point which sadly begins to diminish as the film continues. This is highlighted by the two very well done lead performances by Anders Danielsen Lie and Espen Klouman Hoiner. But I do not think that Trier was comfortable in finding his own style to tell the story, and we get many jump-cuts, and rewinds, and voice overs, and split screens, making the story overly confusing and sometimes impossible to really connect with. But it does so hopeful promise for a rising director, who will hopefully find his tone in his next outing. 

*** of ****

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Roman De Gare

Directed by Claude LeLouch

From what I can recall, "Roman De Gare" is my first film by Claude LeLouch, and it is certainly an absorbing and mysterious thriller, which really does grab you from the beginning. There are so many red herrings and twists and diversions that when you think you've figured it all out, everything shifts. It's all about the crossing of the paths of three characters-Pierre, Huguette, and Judith Ralitzer-an award winning novelist. Pierre finds Huguette in a gas station after her fiance abandons her on the way to see her parents and offers to give her a ride. The viewer already has their suspicions about Pierre, as at the start of the film we hear about the escaped convict "The Magician," who does a magic trick for all his victims. Pierre is seen doing a magic trick for a little boy early on. How these characters cross paths and what happens is really best left unsaid, as it ends up being a surprising and amusing and engrossing and very funny ride, all the way to the final twist. Each character has their moment of being untrusting or suspicious, and its how the script weaves in and out of this forboding feeling that makes it a successful thriller.

Most of my problems with "Roman De Gare" didn't come until the credits were done and I had left the theatre, but its just the standard plot holes that you generally discover while watching any type of thriller. But throughout the film you really watch it with rapt attention, and it is really a very, for lack of a better word, taut thriller.

***1/2 of ****

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Sangre De Mi Sangre

Directed by Christopher Zalla

I missed "Sangre De Mi Sangre" at last years Sundance at BAM festival back when it was called "Padre Nuestro," and I wonder what brought about the title change. It won an award for Best Dramatic Film at the 2007 Sundance Festival, and I can understand why. I kind of loved "Sangre De Mi Sangre," and its probably the best and most unpredictable of the many immigration films that have been coming out of late-including the awful "Fast Food Nation," and the cute by obvious "Under the Same Moon." What starts as a simple mistaken identity film ends up becoming a powerful morality tale, which takes several unexpected turns, and ending with much more to be said but all on film. At the start we meet Juan, a stowaway on his way to New York who steals the identity of Diego, another young man who is on his way to find his father. While Juan ends up going to Pedro, Diego's father, Diego enlists in the aid of the cocaine addicted sometimes prostitute Magda, who helps him for a fee.

The tone here is consistently dark, with the constant foreshadowing of danger as every minute passes. In the end it is a very well made thriller, plotted perfectly and with a rather frantic style that really is at place here, as opposed to some segments in "Reprise." As for the abrupt ending, which does not conclude everything for these characters, is very fitting as well because it really does tell the end of the story. The fates of Juan, Pedro, Diego, and Magda is really up for you to decide-with the exception of one of them, not to reveal anything too much-but its the way Zalla handles what comes before it is the important part, which he does well.

***1/2 of ****