Change of Address

Source: The List (Issue 603)
Date: 22 May 2008
Written by: Kaleem Aftab

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(12A) 85min

COMEDY/DRAMA

French horn teacher David (Emmanuel Mouret) is improbably picked up by impulsive Anne (Frédérique Bel). She convinces him to come and live in her small Parisian flat. These oddballs are obviously perfect for each other but in denial of this fact they become best friends and discuss the fact that they’re both infatuated with someone they’ve met at work.

You could compare the small-in-scope romantic comedies of writer/director/ star Emmanuel Mouret to the films of Woody Allen, but to do so would be an injustice to the New Yorker. Mouret is not the Gallic Allen, for he has an annoying habit of thinking that being sweet and overly quirky is a recipe for cool. Ultimately everything in this film feels unreal and it’s made worse by the zero attempt at discerning anything worthwhile about the nature of relationships or what makes them tick. On the plus side, Fanny Valette is excellent in the non-communicative role of Julia and manages to convey her thoughts and feeling with slight physical movements that were once mastered by silent movie stars. However, the occasional interludes of humour cannot hide the fact that Change of Address has not one single new plot move.

Filmhouse, Edinburgh from Fri 30 May.

More: Change of Address, Emmanuel Mouret, Fanny Valette, Frédérique Bel, French, Reviews (Film), Reviews (Comedy), Comedy (Film), Drama (Film), Foreign (Film)