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Review: |
When it comes to foreign films,
it's a matter of taste. Some prefer to read subtitles, while
others prefer to gaze in awe at special effects and lots of
pyrotechnics (if you don't believe me, just ask Michael Bay).
I'll admit, I'm not the most avid follower of foreign films,
but "The Taste of Others" managed to keep my interest at a
reasonably elevated level throughout most of its somewhat
lengthy but overall meaningful duration.
The movie focuses on the life of
Castella (Jean-Pierre Bacri), the middle-aged owner of a trucking
company in France whose life is as conventional as his marriage.
His wife, Beatrice (Brigitte Catillon), an interior decorator
who ignores quips about her appalling taste, finds dislike
in things he takes an interest in; when he buys a painting
in one of the film's later moments, she moves it elsewhere
in the house, much to his dislike.
And then, Castella's life starts
to change, beginning with his introduction to his English
teacher, Clara (Anne Alvaro), who happens to be the 40-year-old
actress he falls in love with after seeing in a play. He attends
the play a second time, begins dabbling in the cultural arts,
all of which are his not-so-subtle attempts to impress Clara,
who, along with her circle of friends, finds Castella's presence
more of a pestilence than a blessing.
As this relationship begins, so
does that of Castella's bodyguard, Bruno (Alain Chabat), who
romps with barmaid/hash dealer Manie (Agnès Jaoui). It isn't
exactly clear what these two people see in one another: he
finds it difficult to accept her side business, while she
feels he is too uptight and conservative. And yet there is
an unusual connection that holds them together.
If, by the time the movie has established
these relationships, you don't understand what the central
message of the film is, you're our of luck. Through Castella's
constant fumblings in trying to attain the acceptance and
affection of Clara, and through the bumpy road that Manie
and Bruno travel, there are moments and instances that all
relate to one common denominator: taste. The film hits its
audience over the head with realistic situations, all relating
to the various different tastes and preferences its characters
appeal to, and how these tastes clash with humorous and eye-opening
results. The film does have its drawbacks. There are moments
and periods of conversation, character interaction, and so
on, that borderline on tedious; the bad news is that this
continues throughout. "The Taste of Others" may only appeal
to certain tastes, but it bears a message and an understanding
of differences that almost anyone can relate to. --
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