What to Look for in French Films

For the most part, foreign films are like classic novels: the ones we hear about are the really good ones. But in recent years, I've noticed that foreign language films featuring big-name stars (Gael Garcia Bernal, Penelope Cruz, Audrey Tatou) might simply be trying to bank off American audiences. As such, a good rule of thumb is to follow is that foreign films that make it to US theaters with actors you've never heard of are going to be good, while those with a star-studded cast should be approached with more caution. Three French movies I recently viewed a la Netflix are a case in point.

The first, Summer Hours (L'Heure d'Ete) exemplifies good contemporary French film. Directed by Olivier Assayas, it's an intimate portrayal of three siblings who must divide up their mother's estate after her death. The estate is a rambling house in the French countryside filled with valuable turn of the century French art. Like 2008's The Class, it addresses the tensions in modern France between tradition and modernity; between the foreign and the native; between young and old. For instance, the oldest brother wants to keep the house and split the time there with his younger brother and sister. But the siblings, both of whom live abroad, want to sell the estate and divide the earnings. While the symbolism of the mother's house is quite obvious, Assayas doesn't beat you over and over with the themes.

The story is told through restrained dialogue; we see just enough of each character interacting with their spouses and their children to see where they are coming from. The sister, Adrienne (played by Juliette Binoche) is briefly seen with her American boyfriend at breakfast. She reads a French paper and then summarizes an article for the boyfriend. This quick exchange reveals how comfortable she is living with someone of a different background. Later, we aren't surprised when Adrienne announces her engagement to the American.

In contrast, the movie Paris is filled with as many cliches as the creators could fit. Romain Duris, a French actor who's made many appearances in American theaters over the past five years, plays an ailing young man in need of a heart condition. So as he stays indoors, he looks out the window and reflects on how lucky everyone else is to be alive and enjoying the city. How you don't realize the beauty until it's about to be snatched away. A series of loosely connected stories, Paris also tells of an architect who tries to find more meaning in his life after having a nightmare about being “too normal,” and a young Cameroonian who illegally immigrates to France. Yes, we get it: Paris is a changing city, and a city of hopes and dreams.

Finally, Coco Before Chanel is more of an Audrey Tatou vehicle than a biopic. Telling the tale of Coco Chanel before she became a famous designer, the movie typecasts Tatou as an inconspicuous, yet sharp-witted young woman. According to the film, Chanel’s practicality and disregard for others’ opinions lead her to design loose-fitting, comfortable clothing for women. Luckily, Chanel also has two affairs at key times to get the right people to invest in her fashion operations. Finally, a well timed death gives Coco the steely resolve to become Chanel. While the costumes provide a visual feast, the rest of a film merely provides a lesson on why not to watch biopics.