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Priceless (Hors de prix) 2007
So starts this irreverent revision of Breakfast at Tiffany's which soon turns the table on cunning Irene. Once he has been led, rather quickly and foolishly, to financial ruin, love-sick Jean finds his own sugar-mummy. The pair form a loose coalition of the willing as they teach one another how to maximise profits without conceding too much bottom line.
Starring Audrey Tautou, Gad Elmaleh, Marie-Christine Adam, Vernon Dobtcheff
Directed by Pierre Salvadori ('Apr???s vous...')
Written by Beno???t Graffin, Pierre Salvadori
Festivals & Awards Returning from New Zealand International Film Festival 2007
Comedy | 1hr 44mins | Rated (M) | Low level offensive language | Origin: France | Language: French with English subtitles
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Flicks review
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Never make the mistake of associating subtitles with pretention. Quite often a middle-of-the-road French comedy pops up at the local cinema; foreign but flippant. Priceless is one of those. A fun but forgettable story is given extra oomph by its two likeable leads.
Lead Number One is Audrey Tautou. Fans might be interested to know that we get to see her breasts on full display. But forget the boobs - more importantly, her comic abilities are perfect. She's so much better suited to this sort of stuff than the dour Da Vinci Code rubbish that she was cruelly tricked into doing by the evil Ron Howard (who took advantage of her doe-eyed innocence).
Lead Number Two is Gad Elmaleh. He makes the film. Even without talking, his wonderfully expressive face tells everything. His talent for slapstick is superb and he's very reminiscent of the great Buster Keaton. Elmaleh plays the waiter who falls head-over-heels in love with Tatou's scheming minx, and it's very easy to sympathise with him as he drains his bank account in a valiant attempt to keep her around.
The plot twists and turns as the film progresses, but, since this is a romantic comedy, we have a fairly good idea of where things will end up - even if it seems like a mammoth leap in the early stages. As a result, the film's final third winds up a bit predictable, and the bones of the script begin to creak.
But you can never fault Priceless for not being fun. It's a sunny French comedy, with some great physical humour and some loveable characters. Perfect if you don't want something too deep.
By Andrew Hedley, Flicks.co.nz
The Peoples voice
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Delightful Tiffany's-esque romcom
4
Gad Elmalah from The Valet again plays a man dating out of his depth, as he finds himself coupled to the delightful, not-quite-what-she-appears Audrey Tautou. The plot is fantastic in both senses of the word, the humour typically French (think farce and a lot of diamonds), and the dresses progressively more catwalk and daring. Whether you're wondering how it will turn out for the couple in question or simply staring at the gorgeous food, suits and hotels on display, you'll enjoy the ride.
By Smokering
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Entertaining
3
It was an easy watch, good acting and some funny parts but the characters weren't "nice" people so I didn't fully engage.
Not bad though.By Frances T
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French do rom coms best
5
When it comes to romantic comedies, the French do seem to have it all wrapped up. With Priceless, Audrey Tatou plays the part of a gold digger in the south of France. She eventually falls in love with a poor waiter played wonderfully by Gad Elmalah. The journey should have been plain stupid but swift direction and superb acting sweep us along and we are left with the feel good movie of the year. Definitely one not to be missed.
By paul phillips
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A happy interlude
4
Great movie to watch on a long-haul flight - fun, light and it doesn't mater if you turn off for a bit or stop for dinner!
By Yvette
Press Reviews
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Lumiere Reader [Wellington]
The effortless, cool jazz themes from Camille Bazbaz are a real highlight and help avoid scrutinising the film for too long, because with its luxury-product placement, dodgy morals and plot contrivances, Priceless is best enjoyed as a Riviera beach: let those evanescent pleasures wash over you and try not to notice that you're enjoying diversions built around the empires of the Paris Hiltons of this world...
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New Zealand Herald [Peter Calder]
2 2 out of 5 stars
A morally tacky French romantic comedy with zero chemistry between the two leads.
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The Christchurch Press [Margaret Agnew]
4 4 out of 5 stars
It's been a long time since a light romantic comedy has been this delightfully entertaining. Say what you like about the French, even in this rather cynical tale they know how to do romance - albeit romance for hire...
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Urban Cinefile [Australia]
With dialogue as sparkling as the champagne and a scenario as delightful as the scenery, Priceless takes a fresh look at the romantic comedy subgenre in which Pretty Woman is the best known example. The hooker who gets hooked. Never mind that any woman who is as smart and looks as fabulous as Audrey Tautou would easily find a genuine Prince Charming-And-Rich, the suspension of disbelief is a pleasant interlude for ...
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Variety [USA]
Bittersweet comedy's perfectly chosen multigenerational cast ably demonstrates that if money can't buy love, it sure can purchase lots of obsequious service from four-star hotel staffers and costly goodies from laughably pricey boutiques. Co-scripter/helmer Pierre Salvadori serves up an enjoyable riff on genuine romance versus the pay-as-you-go variety, in crowd-pleasing picture...
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