Sophie, a Quebec chef based in Brooklyn, is very in love with Gordon, a high school English teacher. When she receives a job offer from a gourmet restaurant in Old Quebec, she asks him to accompany her to meet her in-laws. Gordon is unaware that he will experience a culture shock and will have to face his lover’s past.
To succeed in a romantic comedy, you have to attach yourself to the lovers. In French girl (At the in-laws, in French version), Gordon (Zach Braff, lost) is a guy who constantly gets his feet wet and has little charisma. For two hours, we wonder one thing: what could Sophie (Evelyne Brochu, correct) see in him that her family and the author of these lines do not see at all?
Of course, love has its reasons. The lovers still need to be credible, and their story a bit believable.
James A. Woods and Nicolas Wright, two actors from Montreal who work in Hollywood, are making their first feature film here. We never saw them play. However, behind the camera, they are devoid of instinct and their production is sluggish. At the beginning of the film, the action takes place in Brooklyn. When Gordon leaves for work by bike, we see him crossing the Old Port, Square Saint-Louis, then parking his bike next to a BIXI terminal! A detail that may disturb some Montreal moviegoers…
Gordon takes the plane to go to Quebec, despite his terrible phobia of flying, and arrives in the countryside at the century-old and bucolic farm of his in-laws (his in-laws are played by Luc Picard and Isabelle Vincent). These two talented performers do their best, with approximate characters.
We then discover that the owner of the restaurant is Sophie’s ex-blonde. A lovely but very controlling “foodie”, defended by Vanessa Hudgens who overplays from start to finish. And the script doesn’t explain Sophie’s bisexuality.
If Gordon’s cultural shock is great, our amazement is even greater. The plot of this comedy is convoluted and its characters are zany. Besides, the only credible “character” is Château Frontenac. Let us film from all angles and many times. Impossible to miss it!
In 2022, Caramel Films also produced Arlette which takes place largely at the same hotel. It smells like sponsorship. Let us hope that the image of Quebec, which this producer and our funders want to broadcast on the big screen, is not limited to these postcards and a luxury hotel.
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Comedy
French girl (VF: At the in-laws)
James A. Woods and Nicholas Wright
Zach Braff, Evelyne Brochu, Luc Picard, Antoine-Olivier Pilon
1h50