esrosedotblog

CRUSH

A couple of new Romain Duris films became available on Netflix so I am using them as an opportunity to show all his DVDs presently available. Some of which I have seen, some of those a few times.

There is just no resisting him even in today's lightest of light situation comedies, the first of two films involving the same living situation in Spain. A crush. But a good one because he is a great actor.

L'Auberge Espagnole (2002)(The Spanish Apartment)

in which as a graduate student in a one year program Duris joins up with an international group of similar young people in group living.

There are girlfriend problems and cultural problems and it is a lot of difficult fun for everyone.

Not to make too much of it but Truffaut made a film like this one as part of the Antoine Doinel series, Bed and Board, and this film owes a lot to that.

Duris now has a wide range of films. Some are serious and tough, one is an historical film and a few are modern melodramas. He has quite a range.

It is interesting to note that Duris is not an entirely sympathetic character in this. In fact, he is a bit of a heel at times. French. They like it rough. So do I, I suppose.

This is a theme for all his films. A rare latter day international star on the Bogart scale or something like that. Perhaps a young Yves Montand without the singing.

NYTimes: a fusion of Jean-Paul Belmondo and Alain Delon, here is almost a dead ringer for the early-1960's German star Horst Buchholz.

This film is a 5 out of Netflix5 because I have seen it several times and will probably see it again. It is so good for me that I broke my rule against sequels and saw the second film after this on which will be on show tomorrow.

Duris was discovered in the street, a student. They took him to a room and gave him a screen test. The rest is history.

A life forever changed. Just like that.

Labels: films