Search - Shall We Kiss? on DVD

An Examination of Desire

B. W. Brown | New York, New York | 01/21/2010

(4 out of 5 stars)

""Shall We Kiss?" is a curiosity, and a very watchable one. It seems like a chatty, elegant French romantic comedy-Eric Rohmer Lite, perhaps, or sexier Woody Allen-until it takes an apparant turn for the melodramatic. Behind the melodrama, though, is a further layer of subversive parody, and behind that is a real knowledge of the power of desire. Yet the whole thing's weightless: An upscale date-movie bonbon that keeps yielding pungent aftertastes."

What truth lies beyond a kiss?

L. Power | San Francisco | 04/15/2010

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I rented this movie not really knowing what to expect, and not really expecting much. Foreign movies that do make it onto a video store shelf do tend to be of a good quality.

Set in Nantes, a man randomly meets a woman looking for directions to a taxi, attractive, elegant, desirable as a French woman can be. He walks away but then changes his mind, and offers her a ride. She is in town for only a day, and lives far away. When they arrive at her hotel, he says goodbye and then turns to walk away, and again changes his mind.

They engage, and have a stimulating encounter in a restaurant, and the parallel story of why they can't engage further emerges, and I must admit this story had me hooked all the way through, and you wonder what will happen right to the end, as the fate of one story hangs on the other. I love that element of unpredictability, and as the movie progresses you become progressively more intrigued by these characters.

This is definitely one of the more interesting foreign movies I have seen. The 4 beautiful French actresses are amazing, and give great elegant and poised performances. I hope you find this review helpful. Go ahead and watch it. I think you will love it, and I am still thinking about this movie days later. Subtitled.

"

Talky, amusing and very Frrrench

Alan A. Elsner | Washington DC | 08/15/2010

(3 out of 5 stars)

"In this movie, Emilie meets Gabriel on a business trip. They are obviously attracted and spend a pleasant evening talking. Saying goodbye, Gabriel asks for a kiss. Emilie refuses -- and says she has a reason. She knows what one simple kiss can lead to. She proceeds to tell the story of her friends, Nicolas and Judith.

Judith is apparently happily married, Nicolas is her best friend. His girlfriend has left him and he craves physical affection. Can Judith help him out, scratch his itch, as it were? Of course she can. The two proceed to embark on the weirdest love scene I've seen in some time. "May I touch your left breast?" asks Nicolas. "Help yourself," replies Judith (or words to that effect). "And your right breast?" "Be my guest." Never have a couple spoken to each other so much, and so politely, while making love. Eventually it boils down to a kiss -- and abracadabra, magic ensues.

Now Judith has a problem. Making love to Nicolas is an itch she can't stop scratching. They try to do it badly, mechanically, without feeling. It makes no difference. It's still fantastic.

We follow these absurd people and their absurd dilemma with amusement, noting that this kind of movie could only happen in France and in French. I never lost interest -- and yet never got too invested in the characters and their endless talk.

C'est tres amusanat, assez drole -- and a little silly."

A rarity: a GOOD French film!

T. Nuzzo | San Diego, CA | 07/30/2010

(4 out of 5 stars)

"As an American who is always trying to improve her French language skills, I watch at least one French film each week (Thanks to TV5). Unfortunately, the majority of them are depressing and far too bent on "realism" to be enjoyable for most Americans. This film, however, is a delight and rates right up there with "Bienvenue Chez les Ch'tis," "Amélie," "Hors de Prix," "Antony Zimmer," "Décalage Horaire," "Venus Beauté," or "A La Folie...Pas Du Tout." Witty, tender, and believable, this is a truly enjoyable film in any language."