I found it surprising that this film was not directed by a French director - it has a certain stylistic feel that is prevalent throughout the French film industry but non-French directors rarely capture. I found the illustrations of the subtle differences between French and American perspectives to be very well handled. For anyone who has lived outside their own country and been thrown into another culture, a great many of the observations and small "inside" jokes shine through. There is an obvious juxtaposition of the two families (one very "typical" American, the other more "old money" French) with the people in the middle (Naomi Watts' and Glenn Close's characters, who are from one "side" but live amongst the others) which is refreshingly handled. Some criticisms here point to a lack of action but this film is very much about style and impressions and less about racking up plot points. The only character that I felt lacked depth was that of Matthew Modine, who seems a bit one-dimensional - despite the huge role in the plot for which he is responsible.
Review of Le divorce
