Jet Lag (2002)

No one seems to have noticed that this is a French romantic comedy meditating on Hollywood. It's pretty explicit, it seems to me, when we start with a reference to Pretty Woman and end with the theme from Midnight Cowboy. I think that Jean Reno is doing a pretty witty Dustin Hoffman, while Juliette Binoche is Julia Roberts as Midnight Cowgirl.

What makes this movie stay with me is that the Jean Reno character is not only an inspired chef, he is all sensuality when he eats. And Juliette Binoche is not just a makeup artist, she is the determined maker of the scenes she finds herself appearing in.

We all want to fall in love. We are all frightened that the moment it happens is just another emotional trap. This movie says yes to both, and grab it while you can.

Fmovies: Danièle Thompson, daughter of the famous producer Gérard Oury, wrote this comedy with her son Christopher. So making movies and writing scripts is apparently a family-mark. She was also director of this surprising comedy with a bit of a "Lubitsch"-touch and in the atmosphere of the movies of Claude Lelouch but with a high profiled own personality. Rose (Juliette Binoche) and Felix (Jean Reno) are characters that only could come out of the imagination of a woman. Their dialogues are well fit to their personality. Rose is a woman who is looking for real love and Felix is so busy that he has no time to even think of it. The circumstances at the airport will give them the time to know and appreciate each other. The movie shows how fate can put people together who normally never speak with each other.

Please don't try to compare this to anything from Hollywood. They stopped making good movies a long time ago. Here in New Zealand we don't have a lot of contact with the French character but I have just had the pleasure of hosting a young French lady who is a top line hairdresser. While I was watching this movie I only had to close my eyes and I could see Cèline, my guest. In other hands this would have been a minor movie but in the hands of the two principals it was to say the least delightful. The story was very simple and at every turn I knew what was to come but in every way I was wrong. I have not seen very much of Luliette Binoche but now I'm a fan. In the beginning Jean Reno was a most unlikely partner but by the finish you could actually like him. Beilliant.

Jet Lag fmovies. Jet Lag is a romantic comedy. It follows all the usual routes, but offers great acting and good humour all the way.

Juliette Binoche is Rose, a thirtysomething who is finally taking control of her life and leaving her abusive boyfriend Sergio (Sergi Lopez).

Jean Reno is Felix. A frazzled businessman on his way to re-kindle his romance with an old flame.

However when a strike and fog halt all flights in Charles de Gaulle the two meet cute and end up spending the evening together. Of course we know they are made for each other, but thats not the point. Its not where they end up its how they get there.

Jet Lag opens with huge energy and a real sense of airport chaos. It then focuses in on the duo in on a hotel room as they spend time together trading insults and exchanging banter. The dialogue is sparkling and the performances spot on.

Then ineveitably their planes take off and they go their seperate ways... or do they?

Thompsons film is a breath of fresh air with Juliette Binoche a revelation in a totally "un-binoche" role. She is cheap and common with a heart of gold. Reno is very much her comic foil, and glerefully allows her the lime light.

Jet Lag is a refreshing take on an old format. It will not suffer on the small screen either so catch it on DVD!

This delicious, light, romantic comedy is full of surprises and subtleties.

Witfully written and superbly acted, it shows why Juliette Binoche is such a great asset to modern cinema. Outstanding chemistry with Reno makes this theatrical play made into a movie a rewarding experience to be treasured. Juliette Binoche shows her talent in a totally different role to most of the ones she has played before, she is a common girl with many problems and yet her nobility and class shine through. If you like Binoche you will love Jet lag. Don't miss it.

How could you star Julliet Binochet and Jean Reno in a light romantic comedy version of Before Sunrise and not have one of the best light romantic comedies of all time? You can't. Two people meet under hectic circumstances, to say the least. They make every mistake. Do everything wrong. Even Paris is against them. But, somehow, love finds a way. Julliet Binochet, almost unrecognizable during the first half of the film because she is buried under makeup and an odd hair style, is totally delightful and stunning, especially when she finally appears with no makeup and wet hair. That she does so well with comedy should come as no surprise to anyone who has seen her work. Jean Reno, who is like a French Clint Eastwood, is even better at comedy than he is doing action or drama, and he excels at both. If you've been longing for some romantic comedy, especially good romantic comedy, check out Jet Lag. I loved it.