Penguins and worthiness go out the window as France chooses this frothy Parisian drama from La Reine Margot screenwriter Danièle Thompson as their 2006 Oscar offering. Stifled by their own success, a concert pianist, soap actress and art collector try to achieve more with their talents.
Their unifying link comes in the shape of Cécile De France’s Jessica, a mini-skirted Pollyanna fresh from the provinces who lumbers into their confidences. The comforting predictability of the script leaves a rosy glow, if one that’s more ITV than Amélie. As a means of proving to your mum that foreign language films don’t have to be “difficult”, this does the job indulgently.