Delicacy

Overview

The French have a saying: le coeur a ses raisons que la raison ne connait point (the heart has its reasons which reason can't explain). Since infidelity is basically a national sport in France, you could be forgiven for thinking the adage was more of an excuse than profound romantic sentiment; however, in David Foenkinos’s new film Delicacy (La Delicatesse) it's that illogicality of love that underscores his entire story.

Audrey Tautou stars as Nathalie, a career-driven woman for whom work has become the simplest means of filling the void left by her husband's death three years earlier. Unmoved by her boss's advances and unresponsive to her friends' pleas for her to start dating, Nathalie fully believes herself incapable of loving again until — quite without warning or reason — she throws herself at her ungainly and unremarkable coworker Markus (Francois Damiens). While Nathalie quickly dismisses the incident as an anomaly, poor Markus becomes besotted, and the remainder of the film chronicles his self-conscious (if also delightful) attempts to win her over.

It's so typically French to find romance in what any other society would deem manifest sexual harassment, but somehow the quirky premise works here. Neither Nathalie nor Markus nor the audience have any idea why that first kiss occurred or how an attraction slowly develops, but develop it does, and satisfying it most certainly is. Markus's self-deprecating demeanour and understated tenderness champion the 'love conquers all' ideal, while Tautou's charm carries the film when otherwise it might easily have fallen down. Ever since her turn in 2001's Amelie — a film that just made you want to reach out and hug somebody, anybody, even just a large tub of popcorn — Tautou has reigned supreme as France’s rom-com queen, and while Delicacy slightly misses the mark by presenting her as the irresistible siren, it's by no means a fatal mistake.

Delicacyis unquestionably light fare, but its occasional moments of poignancy are handled with such unexpected warmth as to drive the story forward and repeatedly bring tears to the eyes — most notably in its final scene. Admittedly the scenes are often exaggerated and the story doesn’t always make sense, but then again, neither does love, right?