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Review Uploaded
06/06/03

1 hr. 55 mins.
Starring: Romain Duris, Audrey Tautou, Judith Godreche, Xavier de Guillebon, Cecile DeFrance, Kelly Reilly, Christina Brondo, Fredrico D’Anna, Kevin Bishop
Directed by: Cedric Klapisch

Rating: *** stars (out of 4 stars)

Writer-director Cedric Klapisch (When the Cat’s Away) skillfully uses his peppy protagonists as willing wide-eyed chess pieces in the wonderfully spry French romantic comedy L’Auberge Espagnole. Klapisch’s wistful narrative captures the contagious spirit of a romantic romp largely due to the lighthearted lunacy that enhances the off-kilter proceedings. It’s an upbeat confection that boasts a robust celebration in spotlighting the confusion of the indelible heart set against the luscious Barcelona baroque backdrop. Armed with an incessant dosage of flair, cockeyed compassion and visual vitality, L’Auberge Espagnole crackles profusely as a European coming-of-age collegiate comedy based on varying relationships and one’s kooky quest for self-discovery.

The translation of L’Auberge Espagnole has a couple of different meanings. In Spanish, it refers to a Latin inn while the French use it as a figurative expression for a mixture of cultures cramped together-much like a tasty bunch of converging ingredients designed to give one a hearty and diverse meal. How fitting seeing as though Klapisch’s exuberant farce makes for a fine recipe of flavors in reference to his assembly of players whom possess different passions, personal experiences and personalities. Hence, the film’s title is certainly indicative of the situational premise where folks from all walks of life come together and share their livelihoods in the pursuit of an educational advantage both personally and academically.

Parisian Xavier (Romain Duris) has the unique opportunity of a lifetime to land a lucrative job at the French Finance Ministry. But before he can realize his career move, he’s advised that further schooling is necessary in order to ensure his absolute employment. In short, Xavier is encouraged to learn the Spanish language therefore meaning that he’ll need time to matriculate in Spain. The plan will be for him to earn his degree in Spanish economics and soak up the sights and sounds in the country as well. Since Xavier has been sidetracked in a previous career choice, he needs to follow through seriously on this particular venture if he’s to secure some financial stability in the long run.

With the aid of the Erasmus European exchange program, Xavier is ready to head to Spain and assume his specific studies at the University of Barcelona. He will leave behind his girlfriend Martine (Audrey Tautou from Amelie) for a year and proceed to nourish his mind by obtaining that precious college degree that is his ticket to professional success. While he’s at the airport, Xavier has an encounter with a quirky French newlywed couple in the form of insufferable Dr. Jean Michel (Xavier de Guillebon) and his meek wife Anne Sophie (Judith Godreche). The married pair offers Xavier a place to rest his head in their little lavish town apartment in Barcelona. After spending a brief stint with them, he’s off once again to settle down in a permanent place where he can plant his feet and rigorously hit the books.

Eventually, Xavier ends up at the doorstep of a raucous rooming house that caters to fellow Erasmus students that are studying at the university he’s currently attending. It pretty much goes without saying that when you gather a crowd of seven exchange students under one setting then the fury will definitely fly. Inevitably, the inhabitants get on each other’s nerves. There’s a constant fuss over the slightest things regarding food, sanitary concerns, noise, decent spacing, privacy issues, etc. With all the conflict that is taking place, Xavier still manages to carve out some time to tend to his business. He starts out diligently writing home to Martine every chance he gets but soon even this privilege becomes more of a tough task to follow through on. As the time moves on, Xavier finds himself consumed by the aura of the vibrant city as his priorities are shelved momentarily. The strange effect of being in the middle of beautiful and unpredictable Barcelona takes its toll after all.

Consequently, Xavier fascination concerning the vibes of his exotic surroundings is indeed quite infectious. Plain and simple, he simply looses himself in the escapism of his adopted playground. Of course matters become more compounded when former “landlord” Jean Michel asks a favor of Xavier to escort lonely Anne Sophie around the city in order to get her involved in the goings-on of the colorful community. Naturally this jaunt will distract him all the more as he continues to struggle with the hypnotic hold that has him oddly unfocused. Before one can look up the complete definition of adultery in the dictionary, Xavier and Anne Sophie find themselves committing it convincingly. Suffice to say, they’re romantically linked of out of sheer boredom and emotional desperation. After all, there’s nothing like hastily rushing into the arms of another person just to fulfill an inexplicable empty void, right?

As if there are not enough Barcelona stimuli to divert our leading lad’s attention span already, Xavier finds the urge to try and develop yet another romantic interest with Belgian beauty exchange student Isabelle (Cecile DeFrance). The trouble with Isabelle is that she’s indifferent and cold to our resident cad at first and evenly distributes her frigid feelings toward other men in the process. Yes, you guessed it--good ole Isabelle is a confirmed and proud lesbian. But this still doesn’t stop Xavier from bonding with her and the closeness they share is quickly in sync with one another. Meanwhile, prissy and aloof Englishwoman Wendy (Kelly Reilly) is running around the place trying to play the role of control freak while keeping the living quarters from becoming an erratic mess. As stuffy Wendy plays footsies with the American exchange student in the group, her jubilant yet ignorant brother William (Kevin Bishop) arrives on the premises with his preconceived cultural callousness in tact. He’s marvelously comical in his crassness and frankly lends some added dysfunctional dynamics to a motley crew steeply brewing in impatience and intolerance. But with the turmoil aside, Xavier and his band of college-bound cohorts will learn to cope with each other as the pressure to excel socially and scholastically will make them stronger in the scheme of things to come.

Overall, Klapisch does an admirable job in juggling the anxieties of his youthful participants by introducing them to the recurring obstacles that routinely hinder one’s impressionable mindset. Basically, this irreverent and feisty fare being showcased here is about the wonderment of growth and accepting the ability to explore options that are either beneficial or forbidden on the road to maturity. Wisely, Klapisch utilizes the exquisite Barcelona scenery and seduces the cast and audience alike by forcing all those concerned to be swept away by the flashy factors that have a tendency to shape our perspectives in manipulative fashion. Cinematographer Dominique Colin deserves the hearty kudos for literally providing a lively landscape that enables the enriching inspiration for the cheeky festivities to take place.

L’Auberge Espagnole is gleefully impish and just as durable as a poignant romance tale ought to be in terms of showing character in its expressionistic probing of fragile and cemented relationships. This is one frothy French fable that’s perceptive, radiant, and irresistibly endearing. Believe me, there are an abundance of faceless and hollow Hollywood romancers that could use a few pointers on how to execute a winning and energetic charmer thanks to the effortless filmmaking endeavors of an inspired filmmaker such as the resilient Cedric Klapisch and his cinematic co-conspirators.