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Love Songs (2007)

Director: Christophe Honoré

Time Out rating

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8 reviews

Movie review

From Time Out London

Paris, city of love – or so its reputation goes. That said, it’s hard to know precisely what is felt – or, indeed, how deeply – by Ismaël (Louis Garrel), Julie (Ludivine Sagnier) and Alice (Clotilde Hesme), bright young things caught up in what may seem from the outside to be a somewhat self-consciously Bohemian ménage-à-trois of drifting, shifting allegiances. Still, they’re apparently happy enough to break into song at the drop of a hat – until, that is, death strikes without warning and grief, guilt, recrimination, compassion and confusion take hold of the remaining pair, the departed’s family and various friends. And lovers, inevitably…

This writer is as fond of musicals – French ones included – as the next person, but from the opening credits, with Christopher Honoré trumpeting his own creative input and that of his collaborators by means of surnames alone (we’re apparently expected to recognise them all), the writer-director’s fourth feature feels at best like misguided folly, at worst an act of arrogance. Things don’t improve when the first of the three parts (‘Le départ’, later followed by ‘L’absence’ and ‘Le retour’) is announced in words and typeface echoing ‘The Umbrellas of Cherbourg’, Honoré courting comparison as he pays hommage. If only this had even a third of the subtlety, charm, inventiveness, sincerity and depth of feeling as Demy’s classic.

But no: the songs are poor, the faddishness (folk parading books passim, à la Godard) and Garrel’s performance are irritating, and only Chiara Mastroianni as a grieving sister brings any real sense of conviction to her role. The allusions to Sarkozy do nothing for the film’s credibility either.

Author: Geoff Andrew

Time Out London Issue 1947: December 12-18 2007

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User reviews of this film

MeruPuri said...

Posted on Apr 30 2010 14:51 I loved the movie!
I only find bad review though, I really don't get it.
I think it was incredibly touching and the songs were beautiful, Garrel's voice was truly mesmerising, and I especially liked the scenes between Ismaël and Erwinn.
That was just - wow. And the beautiful soft and melodic French only makes it better. :)
I live in Holland by the way.

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pet2000 said...

Posted on Mar 23 2008 01:56 Brilliant movie! Actors are well cast and performance is natural but if you don't like french movies, you won't like this one. I do not normally like musicals but this movie is more like a story with songs. For me it's the best film of the year so far.

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Olivia said...

Posted on Feb 15 2008 11:49 This film is one of my favourites in the last year and all the more so because of the songs, which don't segment the storyline but add to it to make this film a funny, poignant and intriguing one. The actors are brillant in a film I have since thought about often.

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jess said...

Posted on Feb 09 2008 23:50 this review is obviously written by someone more pretentious ,than that they called Honoré's work, too add to their lack in sense of humour

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pierre said...

Posted on Feb 09 2008 19:42 This really was crap

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marc said...

Posted on Jan 23 2008 01:09 My favourite film so far this year. The songs are beautiful and Garrel's performance did not irritate me at all...I couldn't disagree more with this review. Go and see it!!!

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angelique said...

Posted on Jan 19 2008 02:16 This is a typical French film - I did not and do not expect British audiences to understand it - that's how the British mind-set is geared. I agree 100% with sienna1.

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sienna1 said...

Posted on Dec 17 2007 22:05 too french to be rightly appreciated abroad

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