Rosalie Blum
2019-04-27
Directed by
The biggest hit in the 27-year history of the Alliance Française French Film Festival, Julien Rappeneau's enchanting directorial debut ROSALIE BLUM is a witty and ingeniously crafted comedy about a random encounter that has unexpected and life-changing consequences. Thirty-something Vincent Machot (indelibly played by Kyan Khojandi) is a hairdresser, like his father before him. Life rotates around work, his overbearing mother who lives in the apartment upstairs, and a womanising cousin constantly trying to set him up. But one morning Vincent experiences a powerful déjà-vu when he meets the gaze of a grocery store clerk, Rosalie Blum (the fabulous Noémie Lvovsky). Intrigued by this mysterious woman, he begins a search to uncover the truth behind their connection... To reveal more would only spoil the surprises of Rappeneau's impeccably directed and performed tale, other than to say that a series of coincidences - both hilarious and moving - memorably brings together a group of lost souls in a manner reminiscent of Claude Berri's wonderful Hunting and Gathering. Indeed, with its themes of the importance of altruism, forgiveness and the value of compassion, ROSALIE BLUM delivers an ever-timely reminder of the best that French cinema has to offer. It's a joy to watch.