Blind Date (Un peu, beaucoup, aveuglément)
This week, we have a much better alternative to the usual Hallmark channel's cheesy holiday collection films that are making the rounds this season. You know what I'm talking about - the guilty pleasures that feature the typically frazzled female lead, usually with an unhealthy dose of naiveté, going through an earth-shattering conundrum. Once again.
Although Blind Date (Un peu, beaucoup, aveuglément) is not a holiday movie per se, it is a warm, feel-good experience, and let's face it: No one does the ingenue like the French.
Uptight but kooky new pianist, Machine (Mélanie Bernier) moves to Paris to prepare for her biggest concert yet. The trouble is, she sets up shop next to a neighbor (Clovis Cornillac) who values one thing over all else: silence.
Even he can't resist her charms though, as the beauty of Chopin fills the building, and an infatuation blooms. In fact, the piano acts as the film's most important magical presence, giving more fuel to the whimsey and flirtation that is signature to the new wave of the French romantic comedy, made famous at least to Americans, by the long-time favorite, Amelie.
Soon the two build a deep, unshakeable love, however they decide that solely knowing each other through their own walls is simplest. That doesn't mean scenes are devoid of passion! This particular romance is about the sweet savoring of something, and leaving things to the imagination. As the couple reveals, the careful preparation of a meal with a perfectly paired glass of wine, provide a visual and sensual example of just how delicious waiting can be.
Watch if you like: Amelie, Bridget Jones