Hors De Prix (Priceless)

Year: 2006
Director: Pierre Salvadori
Cast: Audrey Tautou, Gad Elmaleh

Now here's something different for movie lovers to sink their teeth into. I certainly am not accustomed to watching French movies, so I do wonder if they're really that good in making love stories.

Hors De Prix centres on two people, a gold digger and a bumbling bartender. Audrey Tautou plays Irene, a woman who is an expert at making rich men swoon over her and give her everything she wants. That's how she carries herself in life: getting wealthy men to fall for her and drain them of their finances. One night, she encounters Jean (Gad Elmaleh), a well-meaning but bumbling bartender/waiter/dog walker at the hotel bar.

Irene mistakes him for a rich man and turns on her charm. He falls for it and they spend the night together. One year later, they run into each other again. He can't seem to forget her and pursues her. But when she discovers who he really is, she dumps him in a heartbeat. Not wanting to give up, Jean continues to pursue her, so she decides to teach him a lesson on what her life is like. Before long, Jean is broke and jobless, but suddenly he finds himself in the same situation as Irene when he meets a rich middle aged woman and becomes her toy boy.

This is where the film takes a notch up the hilarity scale as Jean and Irene trade experiences and tips on charming the rich and emptying their pockets. But of course, this is a love story, and before they know it, they realise who do they really want in their lives.

It was nice to watch something different for once, and though I am not a fan of romcoms, this one sure got my attention. Tautou and Elmaleh are excellent in their respective roles. Tautou looks stunning in her cool designer gowns that show plenty of cleavage, and her beauty is fitting for her character Irene. It only underlines her brilliant performance in this film. Elmaleh is also equally convincing as the mild-mannered Jean. He can make you pity him, laugh at him and root for him at any given moment, on occasion looking rather dumb, but in a nice way, not like when you look at Rowan Atkinson, if you know what I mean. Credit also must be given to the screenwriters who have given enough attention to both romance and comedy, making it very balanced.

It's hilarious, charming and lovely, and a nice distraction from all the slam bang summer blockbusters out there right now. What more can you ask for? (4/5)