The plot is trite, but the way it's been carried out makes it funny. Specially if you are doing psychoanalysis :)!
Richard Berry is obviously a great actor, he carries the film on his shoulders. On the claws of a, say, Billy Crystal, it'd be a succession of tics, whereas Berry is believable. Even his smiles are done without much movement, like a sloth's. It reminds me of his even better "Karim Hamida" -the savvy undercover cop- at the great commercial film L'union sacrée (1989). Judith Godrèche is nice but I'm afraid something goes wrong in her role here (see later). Julien Boisselier's Raphaël is probably the most difficulty role. He's the playboy who easily drags women but, we take time to realize, fights loneliness. He gives his role the adequate mix of shallowness, experience with women, some vulnerabilities, and enough presence and intelligence given he's been used by who was, presumably, his healer.
Marc is fine in a supporting role. His face and allure made him born for the role. Lukas, their son, is a great child actor (very unusual).
I just can't believe "Carla" is the same actress of one of the best French films of all history, "Ridicule". Mathilde de Bellegarde was a fresh beauty, now she seems dull, hysterical, without anything to offer. I suppose the direction, plot or ... went very wrong, she's proved she's good at conveying emotions.
It's a pity funny and intelligent comedies like "48 heures par jour" and this one, start out right and end up following bourgeoise Diktat: "Marriage above all". Out of a sudden, they get along fine. Or so it seems. Were it an American film, we'd all trash it. As it's European, we may indulge into thinking it comes with the genre: "comedie". Enjoy!
