Le Divorce: Critic Reviews

A modern-day Merchant Ivory film, one of those blurry anachronistic duds.

A thin and unsatisfying concoction that somehow manages to make one of the richest and most durable sources of culture-clash comedy into an occasion for dullness.

Entertaining as an adult romantic comedy, but then it switches gears to become a silly suspense thriller.

A relaxed delight, a series of delicately tongue-in- cheek musings about the clash between American and French cultures.

Should have been a smart bit of cinematic froth but instead sinks like an overworked souffle.

Features a number of very good performances.

Entranced by the natives, Le Divorce reduces the knowing ditziness of Johnson's novel to vapid, exchange-student wonderment.

The boorish jokes about clueless Americans and ridiculous Frenchies are presented without finesse or point.

A charming, always-engaging comedy of manners.

Starting with the artistic opening credits, it's an elegant film with literate dialogue.

For all that talent, and the lovely source material, there is something plodding about this comedy.

If you are familiar with France and have a love-hate affair with that most cryptic of nations, you are likely to enjoy the movie from moment to moment, whether or not it adds up for you.

Somehow lacks lightness and weight.

For me, the best reason to see this movie is that in the midst of her amusement Johnson feels sympathy and admiration for both cultures, and for all its glitz, the adaptation preserves and extends the same sentiments.

Deliciously droll.

The film comes up short on insight into its characters.

It is a well-dressed film filled with thought and sly observations.

Mostly Le Mediocre.

A delightful blend of American sensibility and French chaos in a movie that is sunny, surprising and consistently entertaining.

The Merchant -Ivory -Jhabvala triumvirate has once more scaled the heights of the 'cinema of manners' achieved in their repertoire of picture-perfect period pieces.

Though not as witty or accomplished as you'd expect from its pedigree, Le Divorce provides welcome relief from the lame-brained trash Hollywood has foisted on the public this summer.

Quite le drag.

The nuances of French and American cultural differences feel as imperviously old-hat.