Après vous... (2003) - film review

Antoine, headwaiter of an exclusive Parisian restaurant, is taking a shortcut home one evening when he sees a man, of about his own age, preparing to hang himself from a tree.   Without a moment’s thought, Antoine saves the luckless man, Louis, and takes him home, much to the chagrin of his girlfriend, Christine.  Louis confides that he made up his mind to end his life when he broke up with his girlfriend, Blanche, who works as a florist.  To help Louis get his life back on the rails, Antoine contrives to get him a job as a wine waiter in his restaurant and then makes a brave attempt to intervene in his love life.  Unfortunately, he only ends up making his own life very, very complicated…

For his fifth film, Pierre Salvadori follows a familiar pattern of outlandish comedy etched with bittersweet drama, revolving around the romantic entanglements of two improbably paired male characters.  The formula is less successful than in Salvadori’s previous works, despite a strong cast and some brilliant comic situations.    Daniel Auteuil is, as ever, both engaging and funny as the film’s hero and all-round nice guy (so no danger of him ever being typecast), but it is José Garcia who gives most to the film, demonstrating once again his potential as a serious actor.  Whilst this quintessentially French film is largely enjoyable, there’s a noticeable lack of inspiration in the writing and direction, particularly towards its end, and the characters are generally less well-drawn and credible than in previous, more full bodied, Salvadori offerings.

© James Travers 2006

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