Sometimes, simplicity and directness in filmmaking is a value in itself and Hunting and Gathering is such a film.
Audrey Tautou is Camille, a cleaning woman who lives alone in a Parisian attic and quietly practices her drawing. She befriends Laurent Stocker’s nervy Philibert, a stuttering gentleman who occupies a huge apartment in her building. When Camille falls sick, Philibert brings her downstairs to stay with him. That puts her in the orbit of Guillaume Canet’s Franck, an overworked and gruff chef whose only free time is spent caring for his ailing grandmother. Relationships and friendships grow out of conflict, but with few of the usual contrived trappings of the romantic comedy genre.
At age 73 writer-director Claude Berri – best known for Jean De Florette – can’t be bothered with cinematic artifice. His characters speak their minds and even act altruistically, a rarity when movie scripts almost always demand characters have hidden motives. Each of our trio are damaged by their upbringings. We get just enough of these backstories so that we understand their limitations but not so much it bogs down into a pity party.
The performances are lovely. Tautou is a long way from her Amelie character here as the scrawny and exceedingly cautious Camille. The immensely talented Canet doesn’t overplay the cranky or cuddly sides of his character. And comedian Stocker brings an old-world charm to his selfless dandy.
While it’s slight, this exerts an honest charm and it’s much more genuine than the candy-glossed European Melrose Place that was The Spanish Apartment.
As a gentle, feel good movie about doing the right thing by yourself and others, Hunting and Gathering rates 3 ½ stars.
