Powerful

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

This has been my 'favourite movie of all time' since it came out and I've watched it over and over.Emelie is strong and messed up - just like every woman I know. Perhaps some of the negative reviews come from the fact that she doesn't get her kit off or need rescuing. She does what she does because she thinks it's the best thing to do.If you've ever been in love and done some really stupid things that make sense at the time but boggle your mind later, you can relate to this movie.Simply beautiful.

The first impression of this movie is of a pretty little French film with a very pretty little Audrey Tautou playing a character called Emilie. And if that doesn't remind you of the French classic Amelie, nothing will.So far, so good.One day, Emilie receives a romantic letter from co-worker Jean (don't get excited, Jean is a guy's name in France). However, as the letter is sent anonymously, Emilie bins it, assuming it to be from some crazy old customer.A little later, Emilie realises that her mother is very depressed about her love life, which will only be made worse when she finds out her father is planning to remarry. And so, Emilie innocently decides to pass on the love letter to her mother to cheer her up… …obviously nothing could possibly go wrong. Until her mother gets upset that a second letter hasn't been sent… This film had all the ingredients to be a really nice film (i.e. Audrey Tautou), but as it progresses any trace of innocence is stripped away layer by layer. By the time we reach the end, the lies being told have nothing remotely "beautiful" about them. They're just cruel and twisted.First impressions can be deceiving.

This is a light romantic comedy from France that actually does have a few edges. Which means it's not too straightforward, but it also means that it has some story developments that might not be to your liking. Especially if you believe the cover text (about this having the heights of Amelie).Do not even think about Amelie (it might seem difficult but our Amelie sweetheart is capable of being someone else too), because this will spoil your movie experience. I liked this a lot because, the characters seem so real and therefor you really feel for the people/characters and what they are going through. Not everyones taste obviously this is a nice touch on a genre :o)

Pierre Salvadori is too good a writer director to have to 'steal' from others but alas that's what's happened here - to a certain extent. Back in 1999 Tonie Marshall wrote and directed Venus Beaute' which centred on the Beauty Salon of the title and three of its employees, all looking for, rejecting and/or finding love. Nathalie Baye had the lion's share of screen time as the senior of the three employees, the other two being Mathilde Sagnier and a young actress who had caught Marshall's eye, Audrey Tautou, whom she cast as the youngest of the three. The film picked up several awards including no less than three Cesars (the French Oscars) for Best Film, Best Director, and Best Newcomer, Tautou. Now, eleven years later Salvadori casts Tautou as the owner of a hairdressing salon anxious to secure a love life for her mother, none other than Nathalie Baye. Technically Salvadori made two mistakes because Baye walks away with the picture from under the nose of the 'star' Tautou. To be fair Baye is one of the finest French actresses of her generation and has walked away with more pictures than Tautou has appeared in. Salvadori, of course, worked with Tautou on Hord de Prix (Priceless outside France) which scored at the box office despite a dubious premise which it really needed Billy Wilder to get away with. This time around Tautou is noticeably losing the bloom of youth which has been her stock in trade for so long - as well she might at 35 - and appears to be straining at times to look cute. On the other hand plots like this - mistaken identity involving romance - are mere finger exercises for French movie makers so there is a certain amount of charm and skill on display but the best thing about it by a country kilometre is Baye.