Film: Claude Lelouche and Roman de Gare

For your weekend at the movies, you could try out the latest film by Claude Lelouche, Roman de Gare. A tricky little puzzle movie, the movie is graced with swoony shots of the Bordeaux area and the presence of grande dame Fanny Ardant. The movie's supporters enjoy its glossy escapism; naysayers suggest that "too many scenes outstay their welcome." The title, BTW, means "airplane read," that is, a none-too-challenging time killer.

Lelouche, who became famous several decades ago with the swirling romanticism of A Man and a Woman, was profiled recently in The New York Times. After the critical drubbing of some recent films, he made this picture under a pseudonym to test whether the reaction to his movies was a kneejerk response to his name on the credits. He submitted the movie to Cannes. Lelouche says, "“They thought they had discovered a wonderful new young director."