performance, making his character stand out from everything else. Though greatly supported by actress Cécille De France who gives a very strong performance and is very mesmerizing, Quand J'étais Chanteur becomes all Depardieus'. Slowly getting into Alain Moreau's skin, the way Depardieu builds up his character is proof of his long time experience. Director Xavier Giannoli is very lucky to have Depardieu in his film, which only starts to get into full steam somewhere slightly after the middle of the film. Showing two characters you dont'expect to end up falling in love with each other, it holds resemblance to Sofia Coppola's Lost In Translation, though, standing comepletely on its own. It's a very beautiful and very funny little film. Moreau is a character you can't help but love. A singer with no real succes but who dresses like a real star and gives autographs to old aged admirers. Depardieu kind of becomes the Bill Murray, with De France in the Johansson part. Her character is very interesting and endeering, ending up as a real favourite. You would expect a film about a singer to be not that cool, but Quand J'étais Chanteu, or The Singer which it is called in English, really is. It's a love story, but like Lost In Translation, not in the typical kind of way. It's more an awkward kind of attraction that pulls the two characters closer to one another. At first Marion is quite stubborn, not wanting to give in to the much older Moreau. But his charming and caring personality wins her over. They get to have this sweet friendship edged by a little bit of love. Giannoli's film makes great use of mise-en-scène, finding the perfect backgrounds to place the actors in front of and the way the movie ends is truly satisfying, leaving you with this big lump in your throat. Quand J'étais Chanteur is not the most fantastic film, but it really feels as a complete whole and sure will win its way into many people's hearts.What is it about?
Alain Moreau, a singer who is left singing in clubs where mostly older people come to party, one night comes to notice Marion, a young mother who works at the same office as one of Moreau's friends. The two have a little chat during one of Moreau's breaks and with his charming personality he manages to get her into his bed. Feeling ashamed of herself, not uderstanding how she could have let it get this far, she runs off after waking up, leaving no message
or goodbye. Moreau enters her life once again when he starts looking for a new house to live in. Marion who's job it is to find people who are willing to buy a house of which its owners want to get rid off, thus ends up helping Moreau on his search. Their relationship, because of this, becomes stronger, though she is reluctant at first, calling Moreau a 'ladies man' and taking his attempts not all too seriously. Moreau however has come to have really fallen for the young woman, more than she at first realizes, leaving Moreau with the question how long she will hold back and try not to give into his love, which is hard with someone as Moreau who at first sight already seems such a charming guy.Final Verdict: ****1/2
Quand J'étais Chanteur is a very well made film, never becoming to cliché or overly romantic. It has this feeling of realism and the beautiful bond of the two characters leaves you wondering and ponder about one's own life and dreams. Sitting in the cinema, my head resting on my left
hand I was enjoying the film's all wonderfulness. Even the songs which Moreau sings and that are supposed to be cheesy, were very much enjoyable. Looking at Moreau you could see his love and passion for his work. Marion and he keep challening each other playfully and in the end they're bond has become so strong and that as a viewer you feel pleased to have witnessed it. Quand J'étais Chanteur is a wonderful intelligent film that just makes you feel good watching it. It provides for a very soothing film experience and is floating far above most of the unoriginal Hollywood romantic comedy fluff.
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