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He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not

He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not

List Price: $29.95
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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Splitting Up
Review: Audrey Tautou's movie career began a scant 4 years ago with "The Venus Beauty Institute" and reached it's zenith, we thought with the delightful, though sometimes mean-spirited, "Amelie."
And it looked like her current American release, "He Loves Me, He Love Me Not" was going down the same road that began with "Amelie": optimistic and waif-like Angelique (Tautou), always smiling, always pleasant, always looking for the good side of things, waiting patiently for the attentions of Mr. Right, who comes in the guise of Loic (Samuel Le Bihan).
Then Angelique's psyche begins to unravel due to several acts of cruelty and thoughtlessness by Loic and director, Laetitia Colombani's sunny and light film begins a slow slide into a creepy suspense thriller. Colombani's touch is so assured and so deft that we hardly notice the gradual, unnerving change of mood and point of view...likewise with Tautou's performance. Angelique is the flip side of Amelie: appreciating the fragrance of a flower has now descended into throwing the flower into an incinerator and watching it burn.
"He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not" is an unexpected, surprising and perverse pleasure but it is also ultimately a tribute to and an appreciation of Audrey Tautou's talent, resourcefulness and, more to the point the inner fortitude that demands that she move her career away from the tried and true.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The perfect film for Valentine's Day
Review: HE LOVES ME, HE LOVES ME NOT opened on Valentine's Day. It's the product of a twisted sense of humor. My wife and I loved it.

Audrey Tatou, the effervescent and funny-faced do-gooder of AMELIE, plays Angelique, a talented French art student in the throes of an affair with eminent cardiologist Loïc (Samuel Le Bihan), who's two-timing his pregnant wife Rachel (Isabelle Carre). The film's very first scene shows Angelique amidst the blooms in a flower shop picking out the single, perfect rose for her beloved. (Hold this image!) Angelique dreams of having Loïc for herself, but feels threatened by Rachel's pregnancy. Then, in short order, Rachel miscarries after being accidently struck by a motor scooter, and then has a serious falling out with her husband. Angelique is elated, and readies herself for a getaway to Florence with newly unencumbered lover. But, after Loïc stands her up at the airport, Angelique wallows in the wrath of a woman scorned. Then, one of Loïc's female patient's charges him with assault. Fiercely possessive even now, Angelique takes drastic action. However, after Rachel, a lawyer, comes to her estranged husband's aid, Angelique realizes that she's lost him forever and commits suicide by gassing herself with the kitchen oven.

Have I spoiled the plot? Ah, think again! As Angelique's EKG flatlines, the movie literally fast reverses to the opening scene at the florist and another story begins.

Ms. Tatou again shows herself as the worthy successor to the delightful Audrey Hepburn. But if you're a male who, like me, wanted to take her AMELIE character home to meet Mom, perhaps you should rethink. And Le Bihan is excellent as the heartless cad. Or is he? (A cad, that is.)

Not since Nicole Kidman's THE OTHERS (2001) have I seen such a fiendishly clever use of misdirection and altered perspective. HE LOVES ME, HE LOVES ME NOT is a deliciously wicked black comedy. And you'd be surprised how prescription drugs can be utilized as an artist's medium. I cannot recommend this startling film too highly. Don't wait until next Valentine's Day to see it.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A French Tale of Obsessive Love
Review: I believe if I should die,
And you should kiss my eyelids when I lie
Cold, dead, and dumb to all the world contains,
The folded orbs would open at thy breath,
And, from its exile in the isles of death,
Life would come gladly back along my veins.
From Creed by Mary Ashley Townsend

When Plato said: "Love is a grave mental illness," he might have been referring to obsessive love. The type of passion that turns you into a prisoner of your own desires. It is the type of passion that can an almost become a "possessive force" in your life, so strong, nothing else seems of importance in comparison to the object of your desires.

It is difficult to write about "He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not," without revealing the sheer uniqueness of this fascinating movie. It will not only appeal to the detective in you, it is almost a study of obsessive love as a sport.

The story is set in the city of Bordeaux. French art student, Angelique (Audrey Tautou), is in love with Loïc (Samuel LeBihan), who is a cardiologist. The director went out his way to connect Angelique's heartfelt longings for the doctor with his profession and also seems to have a deep understanding of Greek Mythology.

We find Angelique in love with Loïc, a handsome man of high social status. She is in turn being loved by a younger man named David, who seems much more compatible. He is her obvious admirer and knight in shinning armor.

Her obsession with the older and more affluent Loic does not allow her to appreciate David's care and admiration. Instead, she seems to show an unsympathetic and almost careless attitude towards David as she also continues to show her loving, yet slightly vindictive side towards her "true love." Like many women who stay with men who treat them badly, Angelique seems to feed off Loïc's abuse. Or is he really the abuser?

When Angelique receives an art scholarship she is told she will have to follow the rules and create 15 paintings. However, the only thing she seems to want to create are paintings of Loïc. The word "mosaic" takes on new meanings. The main problem with their "relationship" is that Loïc is married and his wife is pregnant. As Angelique writes a warning across Loïc's car windshield, we start to realize the darkness of her obsession. She has a very evil side and while we want to love this mischievous little creature, we realize she is a danger, even to herself.

When her small income from her waitressing job does not allow her to shower her true love with presents, she starts to find other ways of feeding her obsession. Her love grows to such proportions, she is finally willing to steal to show Loïc the depth of her love.

The visual metaphors are worth looking for and contemplating on future viewings. Feeling "devastated," "uprooted," and "unsettled" are presented as the outer representation of Angelique's inner world. If you loved Amelie, this movie has much to offer. There are unique moments of stunning beauty, like the storm at the airport symbolizing the inner torment Angelique is feeling. There are also subtle undercurrents and even when a moped and a bike start at the same time and move in different directions, there is a deeper meaning.

Look at how "the angel Angelique" becomes Eros when she puts an arrow through a heart. Yet, instead of rising from Chaos into a situation of unconditional love on the light side, she seeks to create more destruction and enters the dark hallways of unrequited love. While she strives for the "the pure, the good and the beautiful," her love takes on a much more sinister aspect. She not only desires, she seeks to control this world she has created.

Even if there was no story at all, I could watch Audrey Tautou in a trance. She is just fascinating in the same way Audrey Hepburn's screen presence can keep your attention for hours. I kept forgetting to watch the subtitles and spent a lot of time rewinding! Audrey Tautou has a magic that is all her own and her radiance takes all forms. One moment she is dreamily peering out from behind hundreds of roses and then I was surprised at the rather demonic look in her eyes as she peers through the blue gate. She seems to excel in roles displaying the vulnerability of love and near insanity of unrequited love.

"He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not" is a story of a young girl's infatuation with an older man, yet there is a more subtle erotic and vindictive twist. This movie turns from romance to thriller in the most intriguing way. The cinematic beauty is a visual paradise and the metaphors, dark comedy and detective work will intrigue your mind. This is a thriller, a comedy and a romance.

A must-see for all Audrey Tautou fans! If you loved "The Others," this movie will also intrigue you. Throughout the movie, Tautou seems to mostly be wearing a ruby top and purple pants. She is often set against red backgrounds with red couches and the colors in this movie are just stunning. She looks lovely trying on a wedding dress or just looking through travel brochures. I am impressed with every moment of her acting.

I am only left wondering if a few capsules of DL-Phenylalanine could have prevented such agony of the soul or was Angelique's search for the "love high" the very cause of her fantasy or "divine" madness? Only one man has the key to Angelique's heart. Laetitia Colombani has created a journey that will keep your attention right to the end... twice!

~The Rebecca Review.com

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Great Movie
Review: I found the movie very well written. I don't dare to say more than that since I think that any review I can make would spoil the plot of the film. So I will only go as far as saying that this is a movie that teach us that one should never judge someone by the first impression we get of him/her.
If you are one of those who love unexpected endings and plot twists, this movie is a must see.
Now a comment about the DVD. I admit I don't own the DVD in question, but seeing the description I must say that I still not find any logic explanation as to why most American DVDs of European movies don't include the additional material that the original European DVD does. In the case of this movie, the french DVD has a commented version of the film by Laetitia Colombani (Writer & Director), deleted scenes and a short-fil by Laetitia Colombani.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: I love it!
Review: I had to watch this in French class, so, automatically I was thinking it was going to be boring and stupid. I was completely wrong about that! I love this movie. The littlest details all tie together at the end, the plot is twisted, the characters are twisted, the whole thing is amazing. It caught my attention in less than 5 minutes. I'm definately going to have to buy this one!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Great story
Review: I knew very little about this film before I watched it, and really loved it from the outset. It is a smart and interesting thriller with a great script that keeps you interested until the very end. Tatou proved herself, once again, as a very capable actress with real talent. She was very captivating as an artist with a deep obsession for her neighbor. The doctor next door, played by Le Bihan, was also a strong lead. His performance was convincing and charged.

A great film that should not be missed.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Smart and very clever (4 1/2 stars)
Review: I love a good foreign film and this is one that does not disappoint. When the tale begins, it is so colorful and candy coated... Little red hearts and roses dance all over the screen in the films opening credits. I thought with a smile, that I was in for a bit of fluffy romance. The lead female character Angelique was adorable and I just loved her on sight. Audrey Tautou played her perfectly and when things started to not go her way in the love affiar, I thought that she was a bit naive, but I genuinely felt bad for her....however, halfway into the movie, the entire story folds in on itself and rewinds to the opening scene only to follow her lover the cardiologist instead of Angelique,whom we stayed with the entire first half of the movie.
What an eye opener.
Suddenly, everything that you have belived is not so clear anymore and I found my self feeling more and more revolted as things came to light.
I dont want to give too much away, because it would surely spoil it for those who have yet to see it. All in all, this was a very clever and entertaining story that I would definitely recommend watching. I would watch it again myself in a heartbeat.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Twisted!
Review: I loved this movie. It was clever, psychotic and chilling. This movei made me question my own perceptions, as the second half made me reflect on the key thing I missed in the first half: that we never see Angelique and Loic together. Yet, somehow we believe they are...

The last scene literally sent a chill down my spine.

Watch it!!

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Another good French movie
Review: I saw this movie in the theater here in the US. The movie is over all worht seeing, it's full of nice twists and innovative approch to direction and movie writing. The story it self is not novel, it's just a regular man-woman relationship. However, the approach the director uses is pretty original and captivating. When watching this movie you have to be patient, cause you might think it's just another love story between a pervert man and his submissive mistress, however, if you are patient enough you would be pleasantly surprised. I have to mention also that despite the nice, innovative directorship approach, there were many flaws with the story line and some times it didn't even make sense.
Finally, I have to give two thumbs up to the sound track, I personally thought it was awsome.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: very creepy
Review: I unintentionally followed the advice of at least one other reviewer on this page and saw this movie with absolutely no background knowledge of the movie's overall plot. while the twist was much more visceral that way, I almost wish I hadn't.

basically, this is a three-part love story. the first part seems to be building to a happy ending, and there's a definitive moment when your whole perception shifts--that's where the twist comes in. while I agree that Audrey Tautou is terrific in her central role within this movie, I have to say I found the third part, the denoument, anticlimactic. with such a memorable first section turned so abruptly over itself, I guess there was nowhere to go but down.

I would say the first two-thirds of the movie definitely work well enough to make the whole thing worth seeing. but if you, like me, would rather have your movies a little more predictable (at least I'm not afraid to admit it), you might well consider going in forewarned. the very last scene throws on a twist that would have been considered unnecessary in almost any genre of american movie, and while I admit that a french film dulled to suit the lowest common denominator seems horribly wrong, in a way this was worse. to my mind, it was serving the classic cliche of not letting the movie end properly.

I'll give it credit for being suspenseful, and for turning a movie cliche on its head. beyond that, I wasn't sure what to make of it (or that I would have seen it were it not in french, which I speak). the final twist left me with a bad taste in my mouth that has yet to fade, but there are far worse movies out there, usually right in your own backyard's multiplex.


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