Stereotyping is bad for promoting multiculturalism, so says the manual on political correctness. Fortunately director Cedric Klapisch bends this sensible rule; and creates a warm, funny and contemplative movie about coming of age in modern Europe. Disorganized Italians, argumentative Spaniards, dictatorial Germans; NO not an American but a French movie. See it alone, with your partner, with a group of friends; not only will you be entertained but may also start a petition to add humor to all multicultural forays.
Xavier(Romain Duris), a serious young Frenchman, decides to spend a year in a university in Barcelona as part of an international exchange program(Erasmus). He gets to share an apartment with a diverse student group; a British female Wendy(Kelly Reilly), a Spanish female Soledad(Cristina Brondo), an Italian male Alessandro(Federico D’Anna), a German male Tobias(Barnaby Metschurat) and a Danish male Lars(Christian Pagh). What follows is sometimes hilarious, sometime tongue in cheek, always inspirational; the constantly bickering group’s attempt at living and bonding together. The apartment and its inmates serve as a microcosm of the European Union; albeit one that is perhaps just a few more years around the corner.
Anglo Saxons love to caricature the French as supercilious bumbling inept(Inspector Clousseau), and in this movie the French retaliate. Wendy is Maggie Thatcher, the nanny who nags everyone to keep the apartment clean and organized and also fixes blown fuses. The continentals have a soft corner for her(admiring the British penchant for just Law & Order), but are also dismayed when she cheats on her English boyfriend with an American student-musician aimlessly wandering through Europe.Reading between the lines, you can see the rest thinking - these British are usually level-headed; but along comes a clueless American and they willy nilly jump into bed with him. Anglo Saxon males come of even worse, the American just hams Bob Marley; and Wendy’s boyfriend Alistair(pronounced disdainfully as "Aleesstare") would probably remind each woman of her first husband. However, the best(or worst depending on your sympathies) is reserved for Wendy’s brother; he epitomizes the drunken(but cannot handle it) boorish tactless British male. Sitting on the sidelines, it is always hilarious to watch good old fashioned Anglo-French rivalry.
Least you think that the French got off scot free, the director lampoons several of his compatriots. Xavier’s mother is a health food hippie who drives her son crazy with her incessant inane chatter and lack of real French food. His girlfriend(Audrey Tautou from DaVinci Code) is a snobbish upper-class French girl who looks down upon his egalitarian venture. She visits him in the apartment and is clearly unhappy at his choice of city, dwelling, occupation and roommates. This hoity-toity view of Spain as a not upto par country is also found in Anne-Sophie(Judith Godreche); the slightly repressed upper-class French wife of a Barcelona based French ex-Erasmus neurologist Jean-Michel(Xavier De Guillebon). Jean-Michel, a nerdy doctor, helps Xavier out of sense of loyalty to France and Erasmus; and allows Xavier to stay with them until he finds an apartment. The in-secure, lonely and confused Xavier repays this generosity by having an affair with the equally in-secure lonely and confused Anne-Sophie; leading to a rift between Xavier & Jean-Michel. Add to this the caricature of Europeans aspiring to be EU bureaucrat’s, Xavier is studying economics so he can join their ranks.
As for the remaining, the Italian Alessandro is always disorganized and his roommate German Tobias keeps his half spick and span. Due to this, Wendy’s brother William brings out the dictatorial comparison of Tobias with Adolph Hitler. The Danish Lars lives with Soledad, and is not even aware that he is a father until his ex-girlfriend brings their son to visit him.
The Spaniards are constantly arguing about two of their languages/dialects, to the extent that a University Professor refuses to budge from Catalan(the local Barcelona dialect) even though most foreign students are only versed in Castillian. Throw in a Belgian L*sbian, an addition necessary to pay the increase in rent demanded by the almost fascist landlord, and her Spanish lover; this is just more grist for the fodder.
What happens next, how do all of them get along and bond; I shall not disclose here - please see the movie. Suffice to say that this bunch of outwardly flawed people do dig deep into themselves and do almost the right thing. Along the way, they do develop a dose of respect and genuine affection for each other. A worthy mention is Jean-Michel who displays French civility and enlightened attitudes towards relationships by attending(as a couple with his wife) Xavier’s graduation party; thereby symbolizing the primacy of the common good(Multicultural Erasmus).
Romain Duris as the protagonist delivers a sterling performance, he competently communicates the various phases - the initial struggle and confusion, the intermediate adjustments, and finally peace with himself. He is ably supported by the rest of the cast, with the standouts being Kelly Reilly, Judith Godreche and Xavier De Guillebon. Audrey Tautou is most famous and publicized member of the cast, but she does not have much of a role. Director Cedric Klapisch’s work is outstanding, he maintains an irreverent tone throughout; always entertains with humor and does not sermonize.
Other Details of the Movie:-
A) Subtitles - English.
B) No explicit nudity but some sexual scenes.
C) Found it on DVD @ Blockbuster.
D) Released in 2002.