The Valet

I really prefer subtitles, because you can appreciate the acting with the actors’ original voices.Good movie, better than the (sigh) inevitable American remake.

This film is very light, silly and all round good entertainment. The French do it so well. A love story involving a two year long affair and no one in it is naked! Top notch actors, plot, and great ending!Rent it and laugh.

Fun to watch, well casted,

I don't know that you can say that the French do farce BETTER than anyone else, but they do do it different, and VIVE Ca! There's nothing startlingly original about LA DOUBLURE (THE VALET): you kinda know where it's going most of the time, but then again, you probably won't complain about going along for the ride either. Et la difference? Well, the film is unabashedly slight. Farce does not have to be so da*n LOUD as many of us on this side of the lac seem to think. LA DOUBLURE proceeds at its own gentle, genial pace, and provides the audience with, really, just enough laughs along the way. You may not find it a real knee-slapper, but you will get a few chuckles out of this charmer--and lots of wry smiles.Many of the cast members were unfamiliar to me, although I've had a mad crush on Virginie Ledoyen since I saw her in 8 WOMEN a few years ago. And Kristin Scott Thomas is as elegant and as watchable as ever. I guess those claims about her mastery of the French language were all true, but who knew she could project that unique brand of upper class French hautiness so stunningly? Gad Elmaleh has the title role, and there hasn't been as winning a sad sack on screen since, oh, I dunno, Buster Keaton maybe. And Alice Traglioni is stunning--and likable--as the supermodel Elena.So anyway, (Defense de spoiler!)this is just another one of those shlub-of-a-guy-gets-paid-to-briefly-do-a-sham-shackup-with-Paris'-top-model-to-cover-up-her-actual-affair-with-a-top-CEO stories. And we all know the outcome. The shlub and the top model are going to fall in love. No? That's not it. Wait, wait! OK, the shlub will attempt to make his real true love jealous and eventually win her heart. WHEW, got it.OK, OK, there's only so many ways the movie can go. But it does have so much heart, and quite a bit of flair--to say nothing of an appealing cast and, yes, just a hint of social commentary. (This is France, after all, somebody's gotta go on strike: and class distinctions gotta be acknowledged and played upon for all they're worth).It's fluff, but it's intelligent fluff. Vas-y. Enjoy!

Valet's marriage proposal is rejected by his fiance as she is in debt and he is just a Valet. She is stressed but cares for him. On his way back to work he gets caught in a photo of a married billionaire CEO and his mistress. The CEO and his attorney try to weasel out of the situation by paying the Valet (after they track him down) to pretend to live with the mistress. The mistress gets the CEO bf to deposit 20 Euros in her account which he will get back if he doesn't divorce his wife in a year or so. She keeps it if he continues to lie to her about wanting to divorce his wife and marry her--the mistress.Leave it to the French to make a movie about adultery. There is one line in this entire charade about morality--"Cheating on your wife is wrong." Whatever. The movie has kinda a modern American feel to it regardless. It is like the French have finally succumbed to the American cultural domination or something . . . of course with their own twist. But even with all the movie tricks it is still a disgusting movie premise/plot. Who wants to cheer for the mistress who knows she is sneaking around with a married man? No one. Who wants to cheer for a guy who is pretending to be the bf of a mistress so the mistress and CEO bf can get away with adultery? No one.

I watch this on repeat. Funny.

This movie was hilarious and also featured some beautiful scenery and fashions. I liked that the supermodel actually wasn't as shallow as one would expect. True, she was involved with a married man and naive to think that he was going to leave his wife for her. But she wasn't mean to the plain guy (the valet) who was paid to pretend he was her new flame. All in all, it was fun to watch. Not a masterpiece, but if you're looking for an escape from heavy films, this is it.

It's soooooo good! In the spirit of great French comedies like Priceless and Amelie, I decided to take a risk and buy "The Valet." At the time the price was quite low and I figured it was the same as renting it. I'm so glad I did! This is a charming comedy that can be watched over and over again!Some spoilers:The story is one done before. Francois is a lower class sweet guy working as a valet. He's in love w/ his childhood friend Emilie, who only sees him as a friend. In a twist of fate he is photographed by a paparazzi walking alongside Elena, a supermodel who is the mistress of a billionaire mogul. In order to keep the affair secret from his wife (the awesomely talented Kristin Scott Thomas) the billionaire hires Francois to pose as his mistress's lover to reflect suspicion off of him. I won't give more b/c you must experience the rest yourself, but the story is absolutely inviting, and so very funny!This is one of my favorite French comedies! Give it a go!

Arrivé a temps et c est un bon film a voir ou a revoir.

Very funny French comedy, well worth ordering