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Russian Dolls (2005)

Director: Cédric Klapisch

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From Time Out London

In 2002, Cédric Klapisch made the ultimate European flick in the shape of ‘Pot Luck’, an entertaining comedy drama that revolved around an assortment of internationals sharing a flat in Barcelona. ‘Russian Dolls’ sees the writer-director return to the same territory, revisiting a collection of characters who have become older but not necessarily wiser in the intervening years. Once again, Frenchman Xavier (Romain Duris) takes centre-stage, his disappointing career as a sell-out screenwriter tempered by his increasingly tangled love-life. Dividing his time between a gaggle of gorgeous girls, Xavier struggles with the grim reality of hitting 30 and facing a future with neither love nor purpose in his life.

A witty and perceptive script shows that Klapsich has matured as a writer, but the same cannot be said of his quirky direction, which seems strangely self-conscious this time around. The two-hour film also comes close to outstaying its welcome, yet by the time the main players reconvene in Russia for a joyous wedding celebration, one can’t help but be swept away by the joie de vivre of it all.

Author: Chris Tilly 2006-05-02 09:50:33

Time Out London Issue 1863: May 3-10 2006