Nez Rouge (2003)
So funny story. Last summer, I had a conversation with a close friend about movies, and she asked if I had seen the french film Amélie. I told her I had not, but I was familiar with it as posters had been up at my local Blockbuster. She then told me she bet I'd like it, and me, being an idiot, took her at her word and made a bet- if I enjoyed it, I would owe her ice cream, if not, she would owe me. I found a copy a few days later and sat down to watch it.
Suffice to say, ten minutes in, I knew I would be buying her some ice cream.
So as you can guess, when she sent yet another French film my way, I was wise enough not to make a bet out of it- I'm dumb, but not that dumb. I added the film to my ever growing list and forgot about it until recently, when it came back up in conversation and I figured I'd try to look for it- easier said then done, as I could not find a subtitled copy online, and no longer have any video stores in my area, Then on a whim, I hit up my local library figuring eh, it's a Quebec film, they should have a copy in one library around here, and low and behold, they did.
Thank the Lord I did not bet on this one.
The film is the 2003 Quebec made romantic comedy Nez Rouge, and as with Amelie, the language barrier does little to affect an enjoyable movie. However I need to address one thing- this is very much a by the numbers romantic comedy. Anyone that watches either rom coms or just films in general knows the formula well enough that one can read the film easily- you know the set ups, the specific motifs and scenes that are required. That's not to say it takes away from the film, just a fare warning that the standard is alive and well even outside of Hollywood, and why not- it works.
Plot
The film follows two individuals linked both by occupational overlap and by Operation Nez Rouge, a service that provides lifts for people under the influence of alcohol during the holidays. The first is Félix Legendre, a literary critic known for possessing a very negative outlook, played by Patrick Huard, who I first saw in the comedy Bon Cop Bad Cop a few years back. Felix is the kind of critic everyone worries will review their work, because his word tends to be gold- if he hates it, everyone hates it. This is where the second character comes in- Céline Bourgeois, a writer releasing her first novel to a very drab reception, played by Michèle-Barbara Pelletier. Céline has somewhat of a history with Félix, as a negative review from him about her first play led to it closing after only a few days, a grudge she still holds onto. After drinking a bit much at a party in which he unknowingly comments on her ass, Félix is stopped at a police check point, and although he humorously tries to hide the alcohol on his breath, he is taken in. His own lawyer no shows, instead sending an former toy shop owner turned legal intern, Léon, played delightfully by Pierre Lebeau, to represent Félix, whose critic sensibilities do little to impress the judge. It is only through Léon's intervention that he avoids jail time, instead being forced to install a Breathalyzer in his car and volunteering at Nez Rouge. At the same time, Céline's editor offers her a job writing an article on Nez Rouge, where she is picked out by Léon to be the groups third member and driver. Though she of course recognizes Félix, he is unaware of his connection to her and the two set off on their first pick up. Over the course of a few jobs, including one in a stolen car, the two begin to bond, although Céline tries to hide her growing attraction with thoughts of revenge. A couple of misunderstandings and a very foolish act lead to the inevitable conclusion, albeit with a little extra that the perceptive viewer will see coming. It's here where the tropes of the genre really start to pop up, but even when you know they are coming it is entertaining to see the route they take. The ending is expected but feels quite genuine, which is hard to really pull off in romantic comedies. 0
Thoughts
First to continue the last point, the film feels real. The character's growing relationship, while full of expected cliches, still moves along realistically, save for a few moments that go a bit too far in my opinion- a good example being when Céline decides to hit the emergency stop button on an escalator Félix is riding, leading to a long tumble. It's played for laughs of course, but the rational part of my brain popped in with "if anyone saw her she could get arrested for that". Even so, the moments between the two work, with the gradual development never stretching to far into unbelievable territory. While the audience knows what's going on and also the inevitable ending, the characters still play their parts in the grand scheme in an accepted way- for awhile, Céline knows more then Félix while he remains largely ignorant. Then comes a turning point in which he knows more but goes a different route then she did earlier. Again, this is the genre but it is a realistic approach to it. This is to me the film's strongest asset- it is very genuine. You feel for these characters, and while you know the paths they are going to take in advance, it doesn't matter because you like them and want them to get there.
A lot of this has to do with the actors- Huard, as I said earlier, I have seen before in Bon Cop Bad Cop, and he brings a similar charming attitude to this role. Yes he is a bit of an arse at the beginning, but he actually has a good reason for it that develops over the course of the film, although most people will put the pieces together early on. As the film progresses and we, like Céline, spend more time with him, we get to like him because he is not a bad person at all. Unlike Huard, I have not seen Pelletier in anything else and thus have nothing to compare her with. However, she is very likeable in her role, and we both sympathize with her when she is down and shake our heads at some of her more mean antics- yes she dislikes Félix so a few jabs are fun, but after awhile, especially after learning more about the character, they wander into cruelty territory. Still, she is a very good leading lady, and she and Huard have good chemistry with one another which really adds to the film's overall feeling. I can't not bring up Lebeau's turn as Léon, likely my favorite character in the film. Like Pelletier, I have not seen him in anything else but it doesn't matter because he really is a show stealer in this film. When we first meet Léon we could easily mistake him for a quick side character introduced and forgotten, but quickly we realize we are wrong. Lebeau plays Léon as endlessly optimistic, and eager to help people, which, along with a few other hints throughout the film, make his true identity apparent well before the film's ending- at least it was apparent for me. Still, he is a great character and plays off the other two perfectly.
Of course it helps that the writing, or at least the dialogue, is well done, as there were three lines that could be classified as my favorites- the first two occur during a romantic horse-drawn carriage scene, in which the two leads really get to know one another. Both come from Félix, and are the first real moments where he is not portrayed as the jack-ass critic that Céline perceives him to be. Bear in mind these are the subtitles lines and may not be exactly what is being said in the film, but that's what you get with non-English films.
The first of the two deals with the idea of love, and how one can believe in it despite evidence to the contrary.
"Just because something doesn't exist, doesn't mean we should believe in it"
The other continues the idea, but relates it to talent, or better, the talent that Céline believes people like Félix destroy with their reviews.
"Real talent is like love. You can't miss it. And you can't destroy it"
Yes both these lines fit nicely in the genre, but they still have their merits. The first is your atypical in praise of love line you hear all the time in these kinds of movies, but again it feels real- it's not just some tagline that fits on a greeting card, it sounds like something a real person might say. Likewise, the second one holds a lot of truth in my opinion, although it too has an element of rom-com cliche to it. I'm a firm believe in the idea that talent is always there- if you have talent for something it only goes away if you let it go away, just like love- it leaves if you let go of it, or if yo stop trying- just like with a talent.
The third occurs near the film's climax, when Léon finds Félix and a friend lamenting their sorrows in a bar.
"You know what the problem with life is? There's no background music to warn you of impending doom. "
I love this line because it's something we can all relate to. Anyone who watches enough film or television knows by sound when something specific is going to happen. We are pretty much trained to know that a certain song or change in tone means something good or bad is coming. And of course, real life is not like that, but wouldn't it be so much easier if it were? This is why the line works, because it is playing of that idea, one that has likely crossed our minds one in our life.
Conclusion
Romantic comedies are an acquired taste for most people, but as I said in my About A Boy review, I will give almost any movie a chance regardless. Like with the previously recommended Amélie, I'm glad I gave this one a chance. Yes it is formulaic but that does not mean it is bad, if anything knowing the tropes is a good thing because it allows it to see when a film goes off the beaten path and tries something new with something expected. It's a well written well acted little film, and one that I can gladly recommend just as it was recommended to me. While by no means perfect, if you like a simple and funny romantic comedy, and are either fluent in the language or can find a copy with subtitles, I'd say Nez Rouge is definitely worth a watch.
4 Fun French Flicks out of 5
Until next time, I'm The Drew, and I Be Awesome- though not as awesome as the person who's 2 for 2 in film recommendations
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