French Kiss (1995) User Reviews

Delightful romantic comedy, this Frenchman's a charmer

[roghache · 7/10 · 8 April 2006]

This is a really cute little romantic comedy. The story revolves around a young history teacher, Kate, who's afraid of flying but forces herself to hop on a plane for Paris to try and win back her fiancé, Charlie, who has dumped her for a gorgeous French woman. However, her seat mate on the plane happens to be a charming French crook named Luc, who uses the unsuspecting Kate to smuggle his stolen diamond necklace for him. Then, casting himself as an expert in affairs of the heart, he resolves to help Kate win back her man, later complicated by the fact that he falls for her himself.

Their adventures across France, from Paris to Cannes, in pursuit of the fiancé and his new girlfriend, make for some pretty amusing scenes. The plot is livened up by the repercussions of Luc's larcenous tricks, little sub-plots with a fellow con artist and a cop who owes him a favour. My sole complaint with this movie is a couple of unnecessary f-words and a fair bit of profanity, especially on Kate's part (taking the Lord's name in vain), reflective of the screenwriters' laziness in avoiding clever dialogue in these scenes.

Meg Ryan is her usual cute, bubbly, rather ditsy self in the role of Kate and Timothy Hutton is suitably obnoxious and despicable as Charlie, the fiancé who dumped her. However, the real star of this film is Kevin Kline, who puts genuine charm into the role of this rakishly endearing thief, Luc, and demonstrates an extremely credible French accent, in my opinion. His entire persona here makes it difficult to believe that Kline isn't really French. He must have had a fantastic language coach! Also, there is great on screen chemistry between Meg Ryan and Kevin Kline.

It's a delightful, light hearted film, a good date movie, and not necessarily just a chick flick as my husband enjoyed it too.

Cute film

[bodhisattva13 · 7/10 · 19 July 2003]

A Francophile will probably like this film. I did. Meg Ryan plays a woman who's on the verge of marrying a Canadian, so she's denounced her American citizenship. She's also afraid of flying so she stays home while her fiance goes to Paris on business. Things take a turn for the worse when he calls, saying he's met the woman of his dreams and he's staying in France.

Frantic to get back her man, she boards a plane. Next to her sits a French thief, beautifully played by Kevin Kline, who has problems of his own, most notably how to smuggle a diamond necklace out of the country.

It's a character-driven plot that Cary Grant would have loved - two people who are seemingly so "repelled" by each other but all they need are the right elements to fall in love. I'm generally not a fan of the romantic-comedy, but the French setting sucked me in as did a supporting role played by the always excellent Jean Reno.

As for the authenticity of Kline's accent, I had a good friend from France who claimed it was "formidable." So there.

Very entertaining and worth a watch.

Want more French choices? Try "Frantic" with Harrison Ford, it's Hitchcockian; "Green Card," who can resist Depardieu?; and my all-time favorite Meg Ryan film "Addicted to Love." It's a great black comedy and it has the sizzlingly sexy Tcheky Karyo. "C'est magnifique!"

Hey, I loved it!

[artzau · 8/10 · 10 April 2001]

What's wrong with Kevin Kline's accent? My mother's family are from France and they talk like that...sort of. Well, who cares? This is a fun, fun film and I enjoyed it from title to credits. Meg Ryan in her low key but hyper way (now, if that seems like an oxymoron, watch her performance) is wonderful. BTW, I've set next to her character on an International flight... The story is great. Kline's character is lots of fun and Meg Ryan just melts you. Jean Reno is wonderful as the cop who helps Kline redeem his soul. Also, good work by Timothy Hutton and others. This is a fun film and I'm at a loss as to why the critics slammed Kevin Kline's accent... I found it believable because there are many French accents, depending on the region of origin and Kline is a good-- non, très, très bon acteur.

How can anybody NOT like this movie??

[owlglass · 22 June 2004]

A truly funny piece. It's the one we get out of our collection when we just want to sit down and watch something familiar, funny and just NICE.

Meg Ryan reveals herself as a true comedienne and Kevin Kline is the funniest Frenchman you ever loved to hate. So what if we know exactly what's going to happen? That's the way with romantic comedies, as it is with most 'genre' movies. Even after having seen it at least a dozen times, we still laugh when Ryan sneaks up on her absconded fiancee and his new girlfriend and in the process causes major havoc in a posh French cafe; or when Kevin Kline tells her how the uptight nature of the Americans makes his 'ass twitch'.

Funny, charming, educational

[Andreapworth · 7/10 · 19 November 2004]

To begin with, Meg Ryan's fear of flying and the procedures she goes through to deal with it are cute. And the relationship with Meg and Timothy Hutton is entirely believable.

Once she is on the plane, going to Paris, Kevin Kline appears and introduces himself and distracts her from the takeoff. Kevin Kline really proves himself in this movie, or at least shows how good he is at accents. I was a French major in college and have been to Paris and seen much of France. His mannerisms are right on.

The things that happen once they are in Paris are 1) funny and 2) move the story along. The train trip that they have to take is another enjoyable section. And Meg learns that she really likes the cheese!

Once she sees the vineyard and begins to learn more about Kevin Kline's character, the story gets under way nicely. All in all, it's a very enjoyable time.

Enjoyable romantic comedy; Meg Ryan doing her thing

[smatysia · 7/10 · 13 August 2001]

While everyone knows where this film is headed, it's still a lot of fun to sit back and watch it get there. Meg Ryan, as usual, has the cute-o-meter pegged. Kevin Kline did an admirable job of faking a French accent. It didn't necessarily sound real, but it served the role well. A Frenchman might disagree, but, well, who cares what the French think? Also, in a small role, Jean Reno was excellent. A thoroughly enjoyable light comedy. Grade: B+

Shame Kline isn't French

[thehumanduvet · 7/10 · 16 April 2002]

This is a pretty decent romcom featuring a typically off-kilter performance from everymouse Meg Ryan, and another lovable rogue from Kline, with some nice little set-ups and lots of fun gags. The only quibble I would have with the piece is that with the great wealth of wonderful French talent available, Hollywood would only accept one of its own putting on a fairly decent but occasionally ropey comedy French accent in the lead. Not that the target audience would worry though, as this is easy-watching no-brain romcom fun done well.

Don't miss the soundtrack recording

[RayHandley · 7/10 · 29 March 2001]

This is an excellent film. I have seen it several times since it's release and never tire of it. Other than the adult theme it would have been suitable for family viewing. Well casted, and a good mix of both romance and comedy. The casual observer may not catch the best part of the movie, it's soundtrack. Kevin Kline does an outstanding vocal rendition of La Mer. Cole Porter, Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Van Morrison, and others.. How could one ignore this gem?

A fantasy fulfilled....

[jax713 · 9/10 · 10 April 2006]

I have to believe that any woman who is honest with herself would get happily swept into the fantasy of French Kiss. What female in her right mind wouldn't want to end up like Meg Ryan's character, standing on a hillside in France with a fascinating, funny, smart, gorgeous hunk of a man kissing her like no other woman exists on the planet? I also have to believe that any guy who can appreciate the feminine mystique and the happiness of a love found would not also enjoy this fast and highly entertaining story.

To me, this is one of the best 2 romantic comedies ever made because it never gets sappy, sugary, or full of gimmicks. I deplore love stories in which one or both of the two leads 1)see the other in a situation that leads them to misinterpret something to the detriment of their relationship; and 2)there is some awful or stupid or tragic circumstance that they must overcome to be together. These kinds of plot lines always disrupt the flow of endorphins that should be free-flowing when watching a romcom. French Kiss has such a pureness of two personalities fitting together at the right time in the right place that it makes your heart soar.

Kevin Kline is simply killer as a French rogue, full of street smarts and macho but with the soul of a poet in his ambitions. Meg Ryan literally sparkles in her role with her shining smile, shining hair, and - thanks to a good script - her shining wit. The contrasting cultures of the French man and the all-American woman is what sets this story apart from others in this genre. And it is why I can't decide which movie I prefer between this and When Harry Met Sally. They are both triumphs. And both can be viewed repeatedly without loss of interest.

The soundtrack matches the perfection of the film, and the only shortcoming is that Van Morrison's zenith of love songs "Someone Like You" is left for last, coming near the end of the credits which means many people might miss it. It would have pleased me more if it was used during the last scene.

Do not hesitate to buy this movie if you like romantic comedies. It will prove to be a true gem in your film library and likely will become even more of a treasure as time goes on and we fully realize Hollywood very rarely produces this kind of undiluted joy.

Not really a masterpiece, but good fun

[jluis1984 · 7/10 · 6 February 2007]

Usually, romantic comedies are not really taken seriously as they tend to be seen as simple fluff meant only to provide light hearted entertainment. Like in action films and horror films, the overuse of the enormous amount of clichés and typical plot devices, has turned the sub-genre into a stereotype, where stories become predictable as the basic structure has been done countless times before. While this predictability is most definitely a problem, occasionally a movie appears that despite following the typical pattern of the genre, manages to stand out among the rest; and even when at its core it still is a typical romantic comedy, it shines with a light of its own due to the way the film is executed. "French Kiss" is one of those movies, a film that despite being no masterpiece of cinema, achieves its original purpose without problem: to provide good light hearted entertainment by telling a charming story about two equally charming characters.

"French Kiss" is the story of Kate (Meg Ryan), a young woman who after moving to Canada, where his boyfriend Charlie (Timothy Hutton) lives, begins to make preparations for a future with him. However, all her plans crumble when on a business trip to France, Charlie meets another woman (Susan Anbeh), and falls deeply in love with her, deciding to remain in France and cancel his wedding plans with Kate. Deeply hurt by Charlie's decision, Kate decides to overcome her fear of flying and travels to France decided to recover her boyfriend. On the trip she meets Luc Teyssier (Kevin Kline), a charming Frenchman who strangely decides to help her. Kate doesn't know that the odd Bon Vivant she has met, has hidden a stolen piece of jewelry in her purse and now wants it back. Problems begin when Kate's purse is stolen, making both to work together to recover the stolen purse, and its contents.

Written by Adam Brooks, "French Kiss" certainly follows the basic blueprint of romantic comedies: it chronicles the misadventures of a couple that dislikes each other but that after working together discover a certain attraction between them. At first sight it would seem that it's just another typical romantic comedy (with the addition of a French setting); however, and despite the far fetched plot, Brooks makes the story somewhat believable and it surprisingly works in the end. While the romance is the focus of the film, Brooks makes some cleverly written scenes, playing with the French and American stereotypes of each other in small, yet very funny scenes with his assortment of quirky supporting characters. "French Kiss" is not exactly the definition of realistic, but in the end is this romanticizing of the story what becomes the film's main strength.

Kasdan takes a straight forward approach to the script, making an excellent use of his cast to bring the story to life. It is really his work with the actors what makes the movie a bit more believable than what the script makes it to be, as while Kasdan still can't avoid some silly and unrealistic dialogs, the performances of his cast make them work to an extent. The real star of the film is Owen Roizman's cinematography, who under Kasdan's direction portrays France's both urban and countryside landscapes with great talent, making the amazing beauty of the country to show off in many scenes. Kasdan follows Brook's theme of making jokes about American tourists, and constructs visual gags (a simple, yet very creative pun about watching the Eiffel Tower is cleverly used through the film) that spice up the love story between Kate and Luc, adding some diversity to break up the monotony.

The cast is what really makes "French Kiss" to stand out among similar movies. At the peak of her "romantic comedy phase", Meg Ryan was delightfully charming as the main character, Kate. With her natural charm and talent, this character was definitely piece of cake for her, and she makes what otherwise could be a two dimensional character a bit more enjoyable. Kevin Kline is the highlight of the film, making a very convincing Frenchman in his portrait of Luc. It's a shame that the producers decided to hire a non-Frenchman for the role, but fortunately Kline delivers an excellent and very believable performance as the witty crook more interested in what's inside of Kate's purse than in her person. Timothy Hutton is definitely the weakest link in the cast, as not only his character was badly written, his performance is not really good and looks really out of place in the film. French actors Jean Reno and François Cluzet have small supporting roles, and they truly make the best of them. Cluzet is very funny and Reno completely steals every scene he is in.

As written above, the script is plagued with many flaws, that while were somewhat corrected by Lawrence Kasdan and his cast, at times manage to come out and hurt the film. The real problem is not in the far fetched situation that makes the couple meet, but in the development of the event that start all: Hutton's character is simply poorly developed and not believable in his actions. Ryan's characters is better done, but it takes Meg Ryan's performance to make her likable, as Kate is not exactly a sympathetic character to begin with. Don't get me wrong, Brooks' story is fun and charming, but it the events before Kate's trip to France really drag and make the film look uninteresting.

"French Kiss" is a very 90s romantic comedy but with touches of those classic screwball comedies of old, where realism was sent to the backseat and romance used to drive the story. It's not really a masterpiece of the genre, like say "Annie Hall" or "When Harry met Sally", but "French Kiss" gets the job done thanks to the charming performances of the cast, and the magic of the French landscapes. 7/10

Lactose intolerance......

[FlashCallahan · 4/10 · 21 July 2013]

Kate and Charlie have a perfect life planned out before them. Buy a house, marriage, kids, the whole works. Kate's fear of flying keeps her in Canada while Charlie goes to Paris for a medical convention.

While there Charlie falls for Juliette. He calls off the wedding with Kate and she nervously boards a plane to get him back.

She ends up sitting next to French thief Luc. He hides a stolen necklace and smuggled grape vine in her bag to get it through customs. Her bag is stolen, the necklace apparently lost, and Kate and Luc head to Cannes, Luc to find the necklace and Kate get Charlie back.

Along the way, Kate and Luc begin having feelings for each other, because this is what happened in every Meg Ryan Movie in the nineties......

If it wasn't for Kline or Reno, this would have gotten a two all the way, and if it were made today, I'm sure it'd star Katherine Heigl and just be as bland.

Which is another way of saying that the film is as bland and as generic as romantic comedies can be, but with the added element of xenophobia.

Ryan has never been more annoying, from her shouting for no reason at all, to her silly John Lennon style sunglasses, every scene in which see is in is annihilated, and there are plenty to choose from because she produced the blasted thing.

It looks beautiful though, and as I've already said, I'll watch Kline read the phone book, but this really is the pits.

Lovely jokes in the cinematography

[CeeAdams · 9/10 · 30 August 2005]

I love this film. The scene in which Meg Ryan and Kevin Kline first hop in the stolen car in Paris tickles me every time. While she is berating him for involving her in his (mis)adventures, she turns to look at him and misses what would be a wonderful tour of Paris as all the major landmarks of Paris go by on the passenger side of the car. Love the director's sense of humor. As for Kline's French accent, I have studied in France and have a good ear (if I do say so myself), and was very impressed with Kline's regional accent ("way", for example, rather than "we" for 'oui'). As for it being a pat romantic comedy, well, of course - suppose it had been Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn, would anybody have complained?

"I'm an ashole. What can I tell you?"

[Bored_Dragon · 6/10 · 4 December 2019]

A French petty criminal (Kevin Kline) tries to smuggle a stolen diamond necklace by plane from Canada to France, by planting it to a girl (Meg Ryan) who is traveling to retrieve her ex-fiance from a new girlfriend. There is also a good-hearted cop played by Jean Reno, always a welcome spice in French comedies. This romantic comedy is neither overly romantic nor particularly funny, but it is quite decently written and shot and is a good choice for brain relaxation, but not for re-watching.

6/10

hate fake french accent, sometimes funny

[SnoopyStyle · 5/10 · 19 May 2015]

Kate (Meg Ryan) is a careful history teacher in Toronto and deadly fearful of flying. Her fiancé Charlie (Timothy Hutton) is going to Paris and she won't go with him. She's waiting for her Canadian citizenship. Kate has created lots of plans like buying a house and Charlie is uncertain. Then he drunkenly calls about falling in love with French goddess Juliette. She nervously flies and then bombastic French thief Luc Teyssier (Kevin Kline) sits next to her. He takes her mind off of flying. He hides a stolen necklace and smuggled grape vine in her bag to go through customs. His friend Inspector Jean-Paul Cardon (Jean Reno) insists on giving him a ride. She goes to ambush Charlie at his hotel. Her bag is stolen when she faints after seeing Charlie kissing Juliette.

A flustered Meg Ryan is fun. A fake French Kevin Kline is not. The fake French accent gets annoying. She has a short haircut and her character at the start doesn't fit. Their chemistry is not quite right but it is still Meg Ryan with Kevin Kline. They are apart too much but they have some fun moments together. Meg Ryan maintains her adorable quotient with a bit too much wackiness. The humor is a bit too broad. I don't know how to feel about Ryan saying she will triumph while in front of the Arch de Triumph. It is certainly not subtle but it's not actually smart. The slapstick is broad and sometimes funny.

Charming and often funny, very romantic tale

[trpdean · 31 January 2002]

This was one of the best comedies of the 1990s - with While You Were Sleeping, There's Something about Mary, Four Weddings and a Funeral, Flirting with Disaster, perhaps When Harry Met Sally or Sleepless in Seattle.

It's a charming movie. I'm not particularly a Meg Ryan fan - (funny that I just named two of her movies in a top comedy list!). She's at her best here.

The movie is funny but has more heart than most comedies - the scenes with Luc's family are lovely and memorable - not at all overdone, just right. The movie's at its best when the principals are all together at Cannes - it becomes less humorous but very warmly romantic. The characters are so well written - there is even sympathy for Timothy Hutton's character. The chemistry between Ryan and Kline (which I wouldn't have believed before I saw it) is very much there. By the time Kevin Kline is singing La Mer over the last of the closing credits (after Louis Armstrong has sung La Vie en Rose), you'll want to see it again.

Kevin Kline is just magnificent - a quite real,interesting, amusing person is created. The Meg Ryan character's primness is irritating - but then one must see why Timothy Hutton found her so (comically, the movie's idea of primness is that she was deflowered at 18 not 13!).

You'll like it.

No other actress should ever have to work so hard...

[moonspinner55 · 6/10 · 4 September 2005]

Meg Ryan gives a cracking good comedic performance as a woman jilted by her fiancé, flying from Canada to Paris, France to retrieve him, but finding love instead with a scruffy French thief. However, she's the only good thing in the film, which is an underwhelming, cookie-cutter paste-up job. Lawrence Kasdan directs in flighty, old-fashioned spirits, but he can't do much with a sub-plot about the thief's many indiscretions, nor with the detective on his tail(how original), another thief who steals Meg's luggage, a missing passport which never turns up, a stolen necklace, and Meg's life savings of $45K that gets handed over too easily. Not enough attention is paid to the details, but since the romantic angle of the story takes a long while to get its flame on High, what else can we wonder about? Ryan is terrific, tossing off wisecracks and nonchalant witticisms, but she has to carry this faux-bauble a long way to the predictable finish line...and no actress should ever again be made to cartwheel over a dessert tray for a laugh, and then scamper crazily around on the floor splattered with sweets.

Kline's Frenchman is the only reason to see this film

[SimonJack · 6/10 · 6 September 2018]

"French Kiss" is a light comedy caper and romance. The humor is sparse and the caper is two-fold. The idea for the plot is good, but the screenplay is very weak and pitiful in places. A good script could have made this a rollicking comedy or a much better comedy-romance. As it is, the romantic aspect is far out and too hard to believe.

Meg Ryan plays Kate, who takes off for Europe in pursuit of her fiancé who has gone astray. On a business trip, he meets a French girl, supposedly falls in love and sets a wedding date with her. Yes, far out.

The saving aspect of the film comes totally from Kevin Kline who plays Luc Teyssier. One suspects that Kline took the role in such an otherwise poor screenplay solely for the chance to play the Frenchman, with solid French accent in his English. Kline is one of the best actors at being able to play various languages and their accents in English. And, his character is the only one with any substance in this film - and not that much at that.

It's a light comedy romance with some good scenery in France. Otherwise, it's soon forgettable after viewing.

Cute little movie.

[macpherr · 6/10 · 30 January 2000]

I have watched French Kiss several times because I have the video tape. The plot is not exactly sophisticated and it is highly unlikely that "Kate" Meg Ryan (You've Got Mail) would fall in love with someone like "Luc Teyssier" Kevin Kline (A Fish Called Wanda) because she is too wise for that. But I enjoyed the music and the photography. Kevin Kline sings "La Mer" after the movie ends. I like Lawrence Kasdan (The Accidental Tourist, The Big Chill). French Kiss is a good movie for a snowy day, it is a feel good, cute little movie. I recommend it! My favorite Scenes: Kate hiding behind trees and trays of pastry in the restaurant where her ex-fianceé is with his new girl friend and family. That scene made me think of Lucille Ball. Is is something that Lucy would do.

My favorite quote: Kate's friend: "You guys are crazy, I am never going to buy a house or anything else worth anything! " Kate: "Why not?" Friend: "Because you think you owe something like that and it end up owing you, and then one day someone forgets to put out their cigarette and it all burns to the ground."

Any fun in 'Bob'?

[Tomi-13 · 7/10 · 2 July 2001]

You know that english can be spoken in many different ways? Right, do you remember those laughs that you had while explaining yourself?

You know that people behave differently in different parts of the world? Right, do you remember the awkward situations that this can lead to?

Those feelings will come up while watching this movie. These small things are not the main issue in the movie, there's the plot, the hilarious dialogue, the french thing and all the other stuff. But if you ever were in a similar situation, you will enjoy this movie.

An Offbeat Story with Outstanding Performance by Kevin Kline

[clotblaster · 10/10 · 2 September 2007]

Certainly the most underrated movie of the 90's and perhaps of all time. This is the only movie (excluding 30's comedies and few other pic such as The Wild Bunch and Lawrence of Arabia) that I have seen more than 3 times. The story line is spot-on. The arc of the film manages a difficult feat: two plots, one involving Meg Ryan and the other focussing on Kevin Kline, maintain their integrity and also merge together. This is the kind of romantic comedy that makes sense and nonsense at the same time. Kevin Kline performs perfectly. Meg Ryan is very good--much better than in Sleepless in Seattle. This film has a high believability quotient. Kline's charisma matches that of Peter Falk in the Columbo series. Which is quite a compliment. See this film

Lovely

[joshua-21622 · 7/10 · 22 April 2022]

It's a beautiful movie. Worth watching! And just if you (as I believe) a remake with better screen romance, try watching the Malayalam remake, it is filled with better comedy and better chemistry between the leads. The only thing this movie does better is fill in all the holes in the remake, which yeah I see first!

Dull. Klein's French thug just about saves the day

[doniphon · 2/10 · 30 September 2004]

I watched this movie yesterday and I have to say it is one of the worst romantic comedies I have ever seen.

The story is dull and far more predictable than even the genre would allow, the characters are unbelievable and that of Meg Ryan so irritating there is no way to identify with her or with Klein's belated liking for her. Aside from a few funny scenes at the beginning, the humour is tired as are the dialogues. Klein's talent (his portrait of a Frenchman is convincing) is wasted, and so is that of Reno in a meaningless role.

Sometimes you may forgive a comedy for being dumb, or just not too funny, if it is light and reasonably entertaining. But with this, I was bored to death and couldn't wait for it to finish. I was left with the impression that I had to sit through a very very long film, but I suspect it may be a standard duration feature...

Beautiful, simply beautiful

[hawkeye4077th · 10/10 · 6 September 2004]

I just watched this and fell in love! Everything about it was entrancing! Superb acting, fantastic scenery, and you have got to love that soundtrack! I absolutely love Kevin Kline, and he nailed it again in French Kiss. Can I help it if I like him as a French man? Meg Ryan was astoundingly funny. Comedic performances were perfect and the romantic side was so sweet it will break your heart! If you get the chance to see this, whether it be on TV or whatever, watch it. It will make you laugh out incredibly loud (ahem, like me) and cry at its ending (again, like me). I give this a 10 out of 10. But, then again, that is just me. You'll have to check this out to be the judge of that yourself.

Slightly off-kilter film, but enjoyably so

[vincentlynch-moonoi · 7/10 · 2 October 2013]

The first thing I'd like to tackle is a comment made in the forum -- that Meg Ryan always plays the same character -- Meg Ryan. Dean Martin was once asked about that, and his response was, "Who do you want me to play? Laurence Olivier?" And that simple response hits the nail on the head. Most popular American actors almost always played themselves. We go to a Cary Grant movie because we like Cary Grant. We know what to expect when we go to a Spencer Tracy film. Sean Connery plays Sean Connery. Now, yes, occasionally actors take on another persona for a film; but frankly, most don't most of the time. So Meg Ryan plays Meg Ryan. Welcome to the club.

Ironically, in this film, Kevin Kline does not play Kevin Kline...which he usually does. And, in fact, this whole film is a little "different". You have this feeling of a film being off-kilter...not in a bad sense...but just different. The general story line is not so different -- boy and girl are in love; boy strays (albeit in France); girl wants boy backs; but then realizes she loves someone else (who just happens to be a slightly shady character with a good heart). It works.

The locales are pleasantly beautiful. Nicely directed. Not much to complain about.

The leads are Meg Ryan, who is very appealing here. And, Kevin Kline, who does well, although frankly I wish he would have shaved at least once! Timothy Hutton is good as a secondary character...in this case the initial fiancé. The French actor Jean Reno, here as a police inspector, is a welcome addition to most any film.

Recommended, although it probably won't end up on your DVD shelf.

Wish I hadn't bothered

[emilyjmasterson · 4/10 · 29 June 2016]

After having been recommended this movie by my mum and reading some of the reviews made my users on here I am surprised by how generous they are. The majority of the reviews were positive and I'm struggling to comprehend how, admittedly with films like this you aren't supposed to think too much into them but this film was far too implausible. The acting cannot be faulted though, all of the actors portrayed their roles well, it's just a pity the characters were stereotypical with no substance.

Undoubtedly this movie has all of the aspects of a rom-com but that's it, it was so average and disappointing, having read so many reviews I expected much more and was very dissatisfied. I don't want to fault the film completely because it did make me laugh in some scenes but overall I didn't enjoy it, I was bored and debated switching it over multiple times and now I kind of wish I had. In fairness to the film it did get progressively get better and the ending was better than I had expected but I stick to my original statement; other users reviews were far too generous, this film was too cliché and just pretty average.