Le prix à payer (2007)

User Rating:

5.6/10   

Director:

Alexandra Leclère

Writer:

Alexandra Leclère (writer)

Release Date:

4 April 2007 (France)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

A wealthy businessman takes advice from his chauffeur on how to put the spark back into his marriage.

Cast

Christian Clavier	...	Jean-Pierre Ménard
Nathalie Baye	...	Odile Ménard
Gérard Lanvin	...	Richard
Géraldine Pailhas	...	Caroline
Patrick Chesnais	...	Grégoire
Anaïs Demoustier	...	Justine Ménard
Maud Buquet	...	La prostituée
Francis Leplay	...	Agent immobilier
Jean-François Robin	...	Homme immobilier
Josselin de Tonquedec

Also Known As:

The Price to Pay (International: English title)

Runtime:

France:95 min | Argentina:95 min

Country:

France

Language:

French | English

Color:

Color

Certification:

Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Argentina:13 | Chile:TE

Company:

Pan Européenne Production

Le shopping

Frankly, the trailers for this film looked a lot more promising than what the finished product turned out to be. We are presented with what appears to be the way bored people with money do with their meaningless lives. Now, we are not opposed that Odile, a woman in a marriage that has seen better days, spends her time in the pricey Parisian boutiques frequented by women like her. After all, if she gets her kicks out of doing that, let her have her fun.

In the meantime, her husband Jean-Pierre is at his wits ends trying to win the affection of her wife. Instead of dealing directly with the problem, he follows his chauffeur Richard's advice seizing Odile's credit cards. If he thinks he will get away with that, he's got another thing coming to him. Richard, the driver, it turns out, has the same problems his boss has, without the money element.

Alexandra Leclere, the writer/director of this French farce, touches on themes that are deeper than what one sees on the screen. Consumerism, machismo, and non-communication between couples that have been married for a while, are some of the themes behind this comedy.

The exceptional cast gathered for the picture deserved better material than what they were given. The marvelous Natalie Baye does all she can with Odile. Christian Claver, who plays Jean-Pierre, makes a good impression. Gerard Lanvin's Richard is instrumental in giving his boss the solution for all his problems. Geraldine Pailhas appears as the wife of Richard, a lady with her own problems in a marriage that is also having difficulties.

There are a few laughs, but in the end the film doesn't completely satisfy. One wishes Ms. Leclere better luck next time.