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French Kiss | Year: 1995 Classification: Drama Directed: - Lawrence Kasdan Actors/Actresses: - Kevin Kline - Meg Ryan I Love Paris... Romantic comedies need that perfect couple. Once you've got Meg Ryan, you're more than halfway there. Kevin Kline steps up to the plate here, with enchanting results. Kline's stereotypical Frenchman (Luc) is as convincing (that accent!) as he is funny. His uber-casual, morally lax attitude is well complemented by Ryan's uptight, loquacious American/wannabe-Canadian (Kate). The movie rolls along at a merry pace - from Canada to Paris to Nice and Provence, all with distinctive, eclectic music. The locations are beautiful and serve nicely as foils for the wacky partnership of Luc and Kate, as do the songs (in French and English). Check out the end credits when Kevin Kline sings "La Mer." The chemistry between Luc and Kate works like it does in screwball comedies - a lot of bickering sexual tension - but somehow the best and most revealing scenes are the ones where there is no dialogue (Luc and his vine, lost in Paris, train to Nice, Luc's family, dancing). The script is a little lacking, but Ryan and Kline are charming during these quiet moments. As you can imagine, with all this dualism of French and English, there is a lot of national humor - but I think the best summary of the movie is when Kate, who has lost everything (money, love, passport), wisely realizes, "I am without country." Of course, she means this literally, but that wistfulness conveys more. The differences between nationalities become irrelevant when it's really about fulfillment and dreams, which aren't bound by country lines. Romantic, charming, funny; in short, irresistible! There is no other movie in my collection that gets watched as often as this one. The story line is quite simple but the acting by the entire cast makes every line and every situation seem fresh and funny, even after scores of viewings. I am not generally a Meg Ryan fan but this movie shows her broad range of abilities, from physical comedy (the run in with the dessert cart, or suffering from the ill effects of lactose intolerance) to subtle poignancy (watch her facial expressions change in the very last scene on the airplane). Smaller roles are exquisitely played, from the always incomparable Jean Reno as a French policeman to the fine character actor who plays the concierge at the Hotel George V in Paris - an absolute gem of a performance in every respect and a one person commentary on the entire French persona. The French countryside is beautifully photographed, especially the wine country that is so central to the plot, and there are lovely glimpses of Paris as well. But for me the performance by Kevin Kline tops everything. His character is both incredibly complex and laugh out loud funny in this movie, and also wonderfully sensual. From one scene to the next we understand more and more what he thinks and feels. Bet you can't watch it just once! Bet you'll start quoting sections of dialogue at the drop of a hat! Bet you buy the first rate soundtrack (includes Kevin Kline singing in French). One to fall in love with Great chemistry...You'll love the unpredictible situations...One of my favorites...If you've ever been dumped for another "goddess"this one is great to curl up on the couch with the love that you found...A Buy French Kiss at Amazon.com Buy posters at Allposters.com Jamster - the latest ringtones for your phone!  Search with Walhello on the Internet on French Kiss Search with the Priority Search Engine on French Kiss This page in other languages: Suomeksi | Nederlands | Deutsch
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