Dans Paris - movie review

Jonathon and Paul

After seeing this French movie the second time, I finally got the humor out of it. Don't get me wrong. I loved it the first time without the subtitles. But this time, oh there were lots of laughs. Even so, its a bit of a depressing film. You've got 2 brothers and a Dad who share the family bed in their sweet, but old French flat. Their mother has left them years earlier for a Canadian lumberjack. This is all the fall out after their sister commits sucide at 17.

Along with that, its Christmas, and Paul(Roman Duris) the older brother is very depressed. He's had a set back after breaking up with his girlfriend, and now only wants to speak to his dead sister. So he jumps off a bridge in the freezing cold. His younger brother Jonathon(Louis Garrel) finds him and of course, is there for him during this crisis. Or is he?

Jonathon a college student with various girls on the side, just can't make himself stay with his brother. But still he wants to know how his brother is doing. He checks on him through the day while he's out gallivanting around from one girl to the next. This is his way of dealing with his own pain with the family. All along, his Dad is suffering too, but he doesn't want anyone to know.

With a little help from an old song of Kim Wilde's, Cambodia, Paul might be on the mend. But just the same, he feels his little brother is bothering him and well, his mobile slips off the balcony, and you see a moment where perhaps he wishes it might have been his fate.

Naturally, Jonathon is pretty much a brat with his Dad. Won't help with Christmas. But meets an old flame(Alice Butaud) in the park, and you find out all sort of bad things about him. He won't pay her back the debt he owes. She even goes on and on how he's a pig when they make love. You'd think, she'd have nothing to do with him. Next thing you know, they are together while her mother is out, reading and smoking in bed.

One thing for sure, the director Christophe Honore really knew how to use Louis Garrel in this movie. Lots of bed scenes, carefree and packed full of moments to make you giggle as they talk of the past. Then near the end is a duet which is kind of odd between Paul and his Ex. Did they make up or what? Meanwhile, Jonathon's old flame that he'd spent the afternoon with comes to his flat. Waits for him on the couch. & well, your guess is as good as mine..but all 3 end up in the bed together. Afterall, it is the family bed.