REVIEW: DVD Release: Pot Luck

Film: Pot Luck

Release date: 25th October 2004

Certificate: 15

Running time: 135 mins

Director: Cedric Klapisch
Starring: Romain Duris, Judith Godreche, Audrey Tautou, Cecile De France, Kelly Reilly
Genre: Comedy/Romance/Drama
Studio: Cinefile
Format: DVD
Country: France/Spain

When you’re a recent graduate in the prime of your life, settling down with that special someone and devoting yourself to the monotony of a nine to five is not particularly appealing. So what do you do when faced with such a bleak reality? Move to Spain, of course!

Overwhelmed by the expectations everyone else has for him, Xavier (Romain Duris) finds himself confused and frustrated by his life. With a father pushing him through every door he can possibly open to kick start his career, and a mother who is afraid of letting go of her little boy, a change of scenery may not be a bad idea. What starts out as a tediously necessary study year in Barcelona turns into an exhilarating, self exploratory learning curve.

Floundering in unknown territory, a coincidental run in with French newly weds Anne-Sophie (Judith Godrèche) and Jean-Michel (Xavier De Guillebon) provides Xavier with a lot more than the sanctuary he initially turns to them for.

Dissatisfied with his relationship with manipulative girlfriend Martine (Audrey Tautou), Xavier persuades himself that the distance between them is reason enough to strike up an affair with the desperately lonely Anne-Sophie. Enough excitement for most, this is just the tip of the iceberg for Xavier, who finds himself sharing an apartment with six other students from all over Europe.

Back at the shared apartment, or L’auberge Espagnole, to use the film’s original title, the life Xavier has forged with his flatmates acts more like a catalyst for their spontaneous behaviour, as opposed to the reality check he is craving with regard to his forbidden lover...


Writer and director Cédric Klapisch has taken the angle of light-hearted student drama in his stride with this offering, which is as charming as it is multicultural. Klapisch subtly draws on the subject of European integration, throwing together seven beautiful young people into the same apartment in the name of education on a budget. Along with French Xavier is Belgian Isabelle (Cécile de France, who won the César Award for Most Promising Actress for the role), uptight Brit Wendy (Kelly Reilly), Lars (Christian Pagh) from Denmark, Italian Alessandro (Federico D’Anna), German Tobias (Barnaby Metschurat), and the only native Spaniard, Soledad (Christina Brondo).

Thankfully, the film avoids stereotyped characterisation to drive the narrative of the flatmates’ struggle to coexist in a foreign country, with limited communicative skills alongside their ongoing studies. Instead, and to the credit of Klapisch, the European stereotypes are provided by Wendy’s visiting brother William (Kevin Bishop). Encapsulating the typical ‘Brit abroad’, William manages to upset and get under the feet of everybody in the house within a matter of days. Obliviously insulting with every word he utters, William is slowly accepted by the group, joining them for the rest of shenanigans. At first, it seems that William is merely there to add to the already overflowing pool of eye candy, and the occasional cheap laugh, but his purpose becomes clear as he befriends the others. His initiation period in the house serves to explain and visualise the lessons each of the housemates have had to learn about tolerance and compromise in order to get to their state of discordantly affectionate harmony.

Surprisingly, the diverse ensemble cast isn’t overkill and the group work well together. While there is clearly some talent in the form of Duris, Reilly, De France and Bishop, the addition of Tautou seems unnecessary. Although her character is central to Xavier’s decisions, remaining an important factor in his life right to the very end, the film does not gain anything by having such an internationally well-known actress in that role.

Despite so many languages being featured, Klapisch reminds the audience that this is a French production with Xavier’s narration, which keeps the audience in the loop with his point of view. A device which reinforces the fact that this story is essentially about the growth of Xavier and his journey - the narration would not have been missed.

Stylistically, it is simple but effective. Scenes of bureaucracy are sped up in an attempt to signal Xavier’s indignation with the guidelines he has to follow in order to succeed, while scenes of enjoyment are slowed down and repeated, signalling Xavier’s desire to prolong them.


French cinema for beginners, Pot Luck eases even the most apprehensive viewer into a comfortable balance of reading the subtitles and feasting on the visual simplicity of modest world cinema. Easy on the eye and the mind, it is endearing through and through, even when it shouldn’t be. JHA

REVIEW: DVD Release: Welcome

Film: Welcome
Release date: 22nd February 2010
Certificate: 15
Running time: 110 mins
Director: Philippe Lioret
Starring: Vincent Lindon, Firat Ayverdi, Audrey Dana
Genre: Drama
Studio: CineFile
Format: DVD
Country: France

So near and yet so far - this is the thesis behind Philipe Liaret’s drama Welcome, a sad tale of one young man’s quest to reach his Eldorado.

Bilal (Firat Ayverdi) is a 17-year-old Kurd who travels from his homeland Iraq to France. He wants to be reunited with his girlfriend Mina (Derya Ayverdi), who has recently emigrated to England but is faced with the final, but extremely daunting prospect of crossing the channel to reach her.

Bilal pays a smuggler 500 euros and is given a place in a lorry heading for England, along with some other Kurds, at the border. As a way to disguise their presence, the stowaways cover their heads with plastic bags in a hope of avoiding the CO2 detector. Bilal, haunted by a previous memory of incarceration, panics, and he is discovered, along with his frustrated and bitter travellers.

Knowing he will never be able to bear the crossing in the back of a lorry, Bilal decides to turn his attention to swimming, and this is where he meets Simone (Vincent Lindon). Simone is a middle-aged swimming instructor and a former professional swimmer who is quietly etching out his days alone. Bilal enlists the help of Simone, and works tirelessly in the pool to improve his technique and prepare himself for the challenge of a lifetime - the solo swim across the 25 mile stretch of channel that separates him and Mina...


What adds depth to the film is the duality of it. On the one hand, it is a story about romance, separation and regret. Both Bilal and Simone are separated from their loved ones, and they both seek to be reunited with them. Bilal’s drive and determination to literally scale the globe to reach Mina shames Simone, as he realises how easily he let Marion (Audrey Dana) go. On the other hand, the film deals with the hardships of being an illegal immigrant and the humiliation that these people have to face.

Philipe Liaret spent some time with illegal immigrants at the Calais border, and this certainly pays off in the film’s details. The border, where these refugees sleep, appears as more of a jungle in the film, with fighting and bartering the order of the day. They are without bathing facilities, and there is a good scene where a group of them try to gain entry into the local swimming baths so they can wash. We also meet the other elements to a refugee site, including the volunteers who selflessly hand out food on cold winter evenings, and the smuggler rackets trying to exploit these people.

The audience are made to feel the frustration of the refugees in Welcome as the police and local supermarkets harass and discriminate against them. There are measures to ensure that the locals do not aid the refugees in any way, and harsh punishments await any who disobey this. Simone is called to question on more than one occasion.

For a film dealing with such a serious and gritty topic, Liaret took a risk with the casting by not employing any professional Kurdish actors or actresses, Firat Ayverdi and Derya Ayverdi. Firat alone confirms that this was a risk worth taking, and comes across as extremely sincere but also vulnerable. Being able to pull off a leading role at such a young age makes Firat is one to watch out for in the future, and his role as Bilal is important to the plot and message of the film because it shows that mere children are embarking on the potentially perilous trip across the border. Derya Ayverdi is also brilliant as Mina, who puts real emotion into her role.

Vincent Lindon is also excellent as Simone. Lindon seems to have the ability to simply use a single gesture or movement in order to convey complex emotions. His interaction with Firat Ayverdi is first class also, and there is a definite chemistry between them both.


With top drawer performances, Welcome paints a sad but sympathetic picture of the lives of refugees, not afraid to explore beneath the surface. BR