I was 13 or 14 when I first saw this movie on TV while surfing channels some 14 years ago. I hadn't seen it since then and tracking down a copy proved to be harder than I thought until a week ago when I finally found a site selling it with subtitles.
As a 14 year old I had an enormous crush on Marie Gillain who was 15-16 at the time and no wonder: she has turned into a most beautiful woman since (well, she already was back then!). But watching the movie again, it became clear that my fond memories of the movie were caused by more than just a teenagers crush!
The "theme song" (Sans mensonges) is great - sung by Marie Gillain - and explains how life without lies would be dull and sad. Even though it was 14 years ago and I only saw the movie once, I immediately recalled it fondly. It's that memorable!
This movie has got to be my favorite romantic comedy. It makes you laugh yet also touches you on many occasion. Seeing how a father tries to hold on to his daughter, afraid to lose her, yet at the same time his love for her makes him let go of her in the end. Seeing him help his daughter out of the mess she got herself into. It all adds so much to the character of the movie.
And of course the very touchy ending where he stands at the window, seeing her wave back from the boat, thoughts going through his mind. Is he losing her? Will the love for boys get between them?
And then the end credits start rolling with the song "Ca va" (sung by Depardieu himself), singing about how he'll be okay - and even if he won't be, he won't blame her.
This is what makes a great movie - it touches me far more than any Hollywood movie has managed to do in a loooong time. These actors are not characters - they're real people. They act realistically and not "theatrical". The plausible stories makes it all so much more powerful.
A final warning though: don't see the English version first. This is the one to see. They're very similar but the actors and acting (not to mention the location) is much better in this original version.
As a 14 year old I had an enormous crush on Marie Gillain who was 15-16 at the time and no wonder: she has turned into a most beautiful woman since (well, she already was back then!). But watching the movie again, it became clear that my fond memories of the movie were caused by more than just a teenagers crush!
The "theme song" (Sans mensonges) is great - sung by Marie Gillain - and explains how life without lies would be dull and sad. Even though it was 14 years ago and I only saw the movie once, I immediately recalled it fondly. It's that memorable!
This movie has got to be my favorite romantic comedy. It makes you laugh yet also touches you on many occasion. Seeing how a father tries to hold on to his daughter, afraid to lose her, yet at the same time his love for her makes him let go of her in the end. Seeing him help his daughter out of the mess she got herself into. It all adds so much to the character of the movie.
And of course the very touchy ending where he stands at the window, seeing her wave back from the boat, thoughts going through his mind. Is he losing her? Will the love for boys get between them?
And then the end credits start rolling with the song "Ca va" (sung by Depardieu himself), singing about how he'll be okay - and even if he won't be, he won't blame her.
This is what makes a great movie - it touches me far more than any Hollywood movie has managed to do in a loooong time. These actors are not characters - they're real people. They act realistically and not "theatrical". The plausible stories makes it all so much more powerful.
A final warning though: don't see the English version first. This is the one to see. They're very similar but the actors and acting (not to mention the location) is much better in this original version.