Reines d’un jour (2001)

Reines d’un jour is a French romantic film drama first released in 2001, directed by Marion Vernoux.  The film stars Karin Viard, Hélène Fillières, Victor Lanoux, Jane Birkin and Sergi López.  It has also been released under the title: A Hell of a Day.  Our overall rating for this film is: very good.


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…

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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