Priceless

Audrey Tatou is stunning, giving a complex performance as the sexy, conniving, vulnerable and ready to love Irène. The character is a gold-digger reminiscent of that other Audrey, Hepburn, in Breakfast at Tiffany's, and Priceless manages to achieve the same tension of elegance and decadence, playful banter and fraught undertones. There is something very dark about the scene where Irène, dumped by her latest rich beau, and left literally with only the bikini she has on, sits shivering at poolside while the sun sets and the place chances from bathers to dinner jackets. In an instant she goes from queen of her arena to a spectator. It is a complex tone shift few Hollywood (or British) rom-coms manage to attempt, never mind pull off.

Gad Elmaleh as Jean is perfectly love-struck and versatile. Strong support comes from Marie-Christine Adam as the hard but equally self-deluding Madeleine, and Vernon Dobtcheff as Irène's first victim, Jacques. There is something quite grown-up and yet naively innocent about this film, with characters who can do the most awful things but never enough to stop you caring about them. Vivid colour palette, and slickly shot, the music works well, too. Well worth seeing.

This is a romantic comedy about the unlikely encounter between a bartender and with a woman who is constantly looking for a rich boyfriend.

The plot is captivating and delightful! The characters are developed well, and I connect with them greatly. Audrey Tautou is really great in this film. Her range of facial expressions alone is joyful to watch. The memorable scenes of her includes her boredom in bed, the surprise of seeing Jean in the restaurant and many more. She gives a very fine performance in this film! Jean's transformation from a regular guy to a high flier in the elite circle is well portrayed. The wardrobe department must be commended as well, for Audrey Tautou's ever changing outfit. The charm of the high life is well presented in the film. I really like this film.

This film could be called very French. It takes place in the south of France, a playground between/among men and women, has style and is set in stylish places such as hotels and "haut couture" stores.The female character, and even the male one, are amoral but not judged as such by the director and not severely so by the men and women they service. Some of the reviewers have referred to Irene (Audrey Tatou) as a prostitute. This isn't quite correct. She was a courtesan: a professional mistress chosen as much for her companionship in public as well as private. Like most famous courtesans (e.g "La Dame aux Cammillias") she seems to have come from poverty of some sort--and is thus rather tough.And Jean could probably be called a gigolo, though the elderly lady who pampers him has only minimal illusions as to why he's with her. That could be the point: the middle-aged and elderly rich people they play up to are themselves at fault if they want "young stuff" around as companions instead of seeking company their own age. I did like the ending with the Euro.

A charming, classy comedy of morals as only the French can do it. This was also the milieu of the great German-born American director Ernst Lubitsch, who flourished between the 20's and the 40's.

The theme of mutual con games mixing sex and money reminded me very much of Lubitsch's 1932 classic, "Trouble in Paradise", which shows up on TCM every once in awhile. See "Priceless" and rent "Trouble" and see if you agree.

This is not a masterpiece, but it is a very clever, witty and enjoyable film with an excellent cast. As always, Tautou is a delight. Cudos also to Gad Elmaleh as the bartender/dog walker Jean and Marie-Christine Adam as the rich widow.

With so much rubbish hitting screens across the world it's a breath of fresh air each time a film comes along that treats its audience with respect and acknowledges a level of intelligence and ability to pick up detail without banging us over the head with it. Priceless takes a simple idea that in other hands would have stayed at the simple level and develops layers and folds, shades of grey, as well as some straight up laughs.

Audrey Tautou does wonders with her character, making her lovable one minute and despicable the next but not so much that we hate her. I was amazed at the natural flow with which she delivered her performance. A slight facial expression speaking pages. If I wasn't a fan before, I am now.

Gad Elmaleh delivers a similar performance as he did in the valet, which works perfectly for this movie, luckily. He is really good at what he does, and for those that say he is unbelievable in the lead romantic role, I think he pulled out the charm quite convincingly at the right moments, which is exactly what the feel of the film required. These are not cartoon characters that we know are either good or bad, they're complex, just like real humans who some times we hate, and some times we love. Yay for quality cinema!!