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Reines d'un jour
2001 Romantic Comedy / Drama
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Credits
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Director: Marion Vernoux
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Script: Nathalie Kristy, Marion Vernoux
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Photo: Dominique Colin
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Music: Georges Brassens, Alexandre Desplat, Catherine Ringer
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Cast: Karin Viard (Hortense Lassalle),
Hélène Fillières (Marie Larue),
Victor Lanoux (Maurice Degombert),
Jane Birkin (Jane),
Sergi López (Luis Del Sol),
Clémentine Célarié (Michèle),
Gilbert Melki (Shermann),
Melvil Poupaud (Ben),
Jonathan Zaccaï (Pierre),
Valérie Benguigui (Stéphanie),
Marie-Sophie L. (Patricia Shermann),
Philippe Harel (Antoine Lassalle),
Evelyne Buyle (Evelyne,
la secrétaire),
Atmen Kelif (Jean-Mi),
Joseph Malerba (Marco,
l'ostéopathe),
Xavier De Guillebon (Arnaud,
le généraliste),
Pierre-Louis Lanier (Patrick,
le responsable du photo-shop),
Manon Gaurin (Lucie,
la petite fille)
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Country: France
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Language: French
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Runtime: 96 min
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Aka: A Hell of a Day
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Summary
One day in December, four people living in the same region of Paris are about to embark
on day of emotional turmoil. Marie loses her job in a photo-shop when a customer
complains she ruined her wedding photos. Worse, she learns she is pregnant, the
result of an impromptu liaison with the groom at the aforementioned wedding. Meanwhile,
the sister of the groom, Hortense, is planning to make use of her husband’s absence for
that night so that she can hook up with a former lover. She has two candidates lined
up for her night of extra-marital amusement, but are they remotely interested in her?
Bus driver Luis is traumatised when his wife announces his intention to leave him.
As Luis and his wife play out the end of their relationship, Luis’ passengers are treated
to an unscheduled and turbulent bus trip across Paris. Finally, Maurice is busy
smartening himself up and delousing his apartment. He has just had a phone call
from his ex-lover Jane, whom he hasn’t seen for decades. As the minutes tick down
to their agreed rendezvous, Maurice imagines how their meeting will play out. For
all four of these love-hungry souls, nothing goes quite as expected this day…
Review
Marion Vernoux’s fourth film is this joyful romantic comedy in which the chaotic love
lives of four disparate characters are woven – with the skill of a master craftsman –
into a colourful slice of life tapestry. Acutely perceptive in its observation of
human relationships, tacitly truthful yet playfully funny, Reines
d'un jour has both emotional depth and great entertainment value. The scenes
with Victor Lanoux fantasising about his imminent meeting with Jane Birkin are utterly
hilarious but are closed with an achingly poignant sequence which Lanoux carries brilliantly.
This tragicomic highpoint is very nearly matched by Karin Viard going to increasingly
desperate measures to fix up a one nightstand with Melvil Poupaud, only to end up being
driven to distraction by messages she left on a mobile phone. There are also magnificent
contributions from Hélène Fillières and Philippe Harel, who discover
an unusual way to communicate in one of the film’s most imaginative and memorable scenes.
Arguably Marion Vernoux’s most satisfying and inspired film to date, Reines
d'un jour is an excellent example of its genre and a genuine treat for anyone who
enjoys French romantic comedies with a touch of spice and creativity.
© James Travers 2006
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