Factory owner Jean-Jacques Castella, Jean-Pierre Bacri, is accompanied just about everywhere by his bodyguard, Moreno, Gerard Lanvin. Castella, a bit of a philistine, lives with his wife, Christiane Millet, a woman with appalling taste. His life is transformed when he reluctantly goes to the theatre to see a play in which his daughter has a small role; he's instantly smitten with the lead actress, Clara Delvaux, Anne Alvaro, who, as it happens, has also been teaching him English. While Castella hangs out with Clara and her arty crowd, Moreno meets barmaid Manie, Agnes Jaoui, a free spirit with whom he has little in common.
The Taste Of Others, the first film directed by actress Agnes Jaoui, who plays Manie, was an unexpected success in France last year; it won several awards and was tremendously popular with audiences. It's a dry comedy about the attraction of opposites, and the script, by Jaoui and Bacri (who appeared together in the Alain Resnais film Same Old Song) is incisive, truthful and witty. The film poses the question: Can love can survive vast social and cultural differences?, but there are no easy answers.
The Taste Of Others, the first film directed by actress Agnes Jaoui, who plays Manie, was an unexpected success in France last year; it won several awards and was tremendously popular with audiences. It's a dry comedy about the attraction of opposites, and the script, by Jaoui and Bacri (who appeared together in the Alain Resnais film Same Old Song) is incisive, truthful and witty. The film poses the question: Can love can survive vast social and cultural differences?, but there are no easy answers.
As we enjoy this warm, generous, funny and beautifully acted film we come to love the characters, with all their flaws and with all their problems. It's a total delight.
Share
