Le Coût de la vie (2003) - film review

Money makes the world go around – at least that seems to be the case in the French town of Lyons.  Laurence, a young heiress, sets out to prove that she does not need money to be happy, and appears to discover true love.  She ends up working in a restaurant owned by Conway, whose generosity with money is driving him towards bankruptcy.  In contrast, businessman Brett is as tight as they come, always ready to return defective products to shops and always the first to leave the table when the bill arrives.   Yet he regrets his solitary life after having ditched a girlfriend because the dress she wanted him to buy was too costly.   For Nicolas de Blamond, money offers a ticket to a long-dreamed of retirement in some distant haven.  When he learns he has a heart condition, he decides to close down his factories and start a new life.  All he wants is someone to accompany him...

In stark contrast to Philippe Le Guay’s previous film, the social realist drama Trois huit (2001),  Le Coût de la vie is a full-bodied adult comedy which satirises modern society’s complex relationship with money.  The film weaves together its several strands very effectively, allowing some humorous contrasts to be made between the characters.  Whilst some of the ideas and situations feel under-developed, the film has great entertainment value, and Philippe Le Guay gets the best out of his excellent cast.  Fabrice Luchini is particularly memorable in his hilarious, yet also quite poignant, portrayal of a latter-day Scrooge.

© James Travers 2006

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