Review of Caramel

I've just been reading the first page of comments, all positive, posted from various parts of the world, a world it appears, that has been denied access to Tonie Marshall's Venus Beaute' because not a single one of the posters I read mentioned it or indeed appeared to be familiar with it. Briefly then Venus Beaute' is the name of a beauty parlor located in Paris. The owner and proprietor is Bulle Ogier and it is staffed by Natalie Baye, Mathilde Seigner and Aurdrey Tautou - this was about a year before the relatively unknown Tautou appeared as the eponymous Amelie. As the senior employee Nathalie Baye has marginally the lion's share of screen time as a 40 something female with a knack of picking the wrong men - not unlike our writer-director here - but Seigner and Tautou are also featured prominently. Had I not seen and admired Venus Beaute' (so much so that I bought the DVD and have now watched it several times) I would probably have joined in the chorus of approval for Caramel. As it is however ...