ARTHUR DUPONT, AGATHE BONITZER IN UNDER THE RAINBOWIt all ends happilyTypically, Agnès Jaoi and her spouse, costar and collaborator Jean-Pierre Bacri have a lot of things going on, and in this genial comedy, every subplot leads to a resolution. Perhaps there is just not enough real trouble, or enough real laughter or comic edge this time, but it's still all executed with the touch of a pro and a knack for spinning out interwoven plot lines that play upon a theme.
Fairy tales, magic, dreams, fortune telling, religion and all sorts of belief and superstition are that theme. (So, as an accompaniment, is music. ) Laura (Agathe Bonitzer), a naive and hopeful young woman of 24 who believes in great loves, signs, and destiny, finds a prince charming whose appearance fulfills a recent dream she's had when Sandro (Arthur Dupont), a soulful and handsome young pianist and composer, meets her at a party. Thinking maybe there can be more than one prince charming, Laura abandons Sandro for a sophisticated and older music critic, Maxime (Benjamin Biolay), who seems to be wise and have predictive powers. But Maxime turns out to be a rotter and a two-timer, and, after some rough patches, Laura goes back happily to Sandro. Sandro finds success as a composer, ironically provided by the rotter, Maxime. Maxime arranges for Sandro's composition to be performed by a famous musician, Horvitz. This requires Sandro's best friend Julien (Clément Roussier) to yield the violin part to Horvitz. But -- another dilemma resolved --Julien understands and forgives Sandro. Later Sandro and his estranged father Pierre (Jean-Pierre Bacri ) are united and hug. The prince charming's grumpy dad thus gets over his grumpiness and, along with the hug, give his late father's legacy to his hitherto long neglected son.
One thing that has blocked Pierre is that, though he denies it, he is disturbed by a prediction that the date of his death is known and is coming up shortly. He's reminded of this by the appearance of a fortune teller, Madam Irma, who gave him the day he would die many years ago, and then turns up again at his father's burial. The day comes and goes and nothing happens, after which Pierre mellows.
There are more good tidings. An estranged husband and wife decide to get back together. Nina (Serena Legeais) the young daughter of Marianne (Agnès Jaoui), Laura's aunt, whose concern over her parents' estrangement has taken a disturbing turn toward religion and who wants to have her first communion, abandons this obsession and is immediately happier. (The idea that joining the church is a source of bother best avoided won't appeal to the religious.) Pierre gives driving lessons to Marianne, who drove years ago but is now terrified of having an accident. But when a crisis comes she drives around in the city at night and so clearly has overcome her fear. Finally, a school play peopled by adorable kids, including little boy and girl lovers, which is directed by Marianne, is staged adorably, with the grumpy, once child-loathing Pierre willingly attending.
There are lots of chuckles here, and the thematic rhythms are fascinating not to mention ingenious, but there are not as many ironies or as good laughs as in Jaoui's best comedies, such as the recent
The Taste of Others and
Look at Me. The images are handsome, the editing is superb, and one knows one's in good hands from the opening credits. But though Bacri still plays ill humor with a dry relish that's satisfying, haven't he and Jaoui gone a little soft here, with consequent lack of focus and real satisfaction?
Under the Rainbow/Au bout du conte, 112 mins., debuted 14 February 2013 in Lyon, and opened in all of France 6 March. Allociné: 3.5.
Les Inrockuptibles called this "a choral film of impeccable rhythm." Screened for this review as part of the Unifrance-Film Society of Lincoln Center series Rendez-Vous with French Cinema (6-16 March 2014). Showings in the series are:
Tuesday, March 11, 10:15pm – IFC; Wednesday, March 12, 9:00pm – WRT; Friday, March 14, 3:45pm - FSLC
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