Little White Lies (2010) User Reviews

You will laugh and cry as you are sure to find at least one character to care about

[napierslogs · 7/10 · 26 July 2011]

"Little White Lies" is a multi-relationship drama; one about love, loss and life. It has witty situations, witty lines, and a near-fatal accident. Oh yes, this is an attempt at the hard-to-write comedy-tragedy genre. Thankfully, it doesn't really fail, but instead of being overly comedic or tragic, it plays out mostly dramatically.

There are likely cultural differences to impact how the different audiences relate to this film. It opens with Ludo at a club, partying it up, kissing girls, doing drugs and then speeding through red lights just to get hit by a truck. Based on the other characters' actions and reactions, and other (French) descriptions I have read, Ludo is described as a guy who loves his friends and loves life, living every moment to the fullest. Whereas I would describe him as a guy with a death wish. Regardless, he is now in intensive care, but his friends still want to go on vacation.

Making these characters likable, navigating the comedy-tragedy structure, and all the while keeping us entertained, writer and director Guillaume Canet has set himself up with an almost impossible film to write well. But as a viewer, you just have to find one character you can relate to or empathize with. Everybody is friends so the others will just naturally fall into place.

For me, this film succeeded the most in making me feel as though I was part of the group. I laughed when they laughed, I cried when they cried, and I too just wanted to forget about life and hang out in the water. Because of that inclusion, I never felt too bored during the excessive two and a half hour run-time. But no relationship drama should ever be that long.

I'm going out on a limb and saying that Guillaume Canet is a young, French Woody Allen, or at least he has the potential to become a hopefully-still-young, French Woody Allen. "Little White Lies" is a dialogue-driven, beautifully shot exposé about modern relationships with fully developed characters. He hasn't yet mastered the fine balance between comedy and tragedy, or how to get to the point quickly, and I want him to cast himself, but hopefully I haven't placed unfair expectations onto him.

Each character is having their own personal crisis usually involving the fact that a former lover doesn't like them anymore. That misery coupled with Ludo's tragedy can lead to an awfully somber vacation, but I quite liked the fact that they had their fun during the day and then usually when the alcohol came out, so did the tears and anger. The lies eluded to in the title are more just obvious truths that are barely even concealed, but that doesn't make for nearly as catchy a title. Because these characters are just so well developed, there are always more truths to discover about them.

"Little White Lies" is for drama lovers. You will laugh and you will cry and if you are sure to find a character to connect to, then this film is worth discovering. Apparently France has long since known about the talent that is Canet, now might be the time for the rest of the world to discover him too.

Incident

[kosmasp · 8/10 · 25 July 2012]

Let me start of by saying: Do not watch this because you want to see Jean Dujardin! Since he won the Oscar a couple of months ago, I'm pretty sure the demand on his movies has been increased. But this is not a Dujardin vehicle. While his character is pivotal to the whole story, he himself will not appear in it for a long period of time. I didn't count the minutes, but his screen presence does not warrant you to watch it for him alone.

Having said that, I do hope you watch it for what it is and all the other wonderful french actors that are in it. One of them being his "partner-in-crime" in his newest movie (L'Infidels). The story consists of every character having something inside them, wanting to burst out. Some are subtle about it and some are not. I think the character who is the loudest might feel to be the most annoying one, but the actor walks the fine line of still making him sympathetic enough for us to care. A really good drama, that will find it's audience.

Indulgent but engaging

[MovieGeekBlog · 7/10 · 5 June 2011]

When watching Carnet's third film, you'll be excused from drawing some obvious comparisons with the 1983 hit classic the Big Chill: not only the story of a group of friends gathering together for a holiday and ending up taking their skeletons out of the closets is a fairly familiar territory, but also the way the film itself is handled, with that mixture of comedy and drama and a constant (and most of the times fairly random) soundtrack of old American songs playing in the background. The film starts off with a spectacular piece of cinematic bravura: a one take wonder which serves as an introduction for the rest of the film (though I must confess it's so perfectly well choreographed that actually makes you expect the big surprise that's about to come). Unfortunately this perfectly well-timed sequence is a rather isolated example in an otherwise indulgent and over-long film. In fact, after the striking beginning it takes at least a good 30 minutes before the actual holiday (and the real film) starts. Thinking back at it, with hindsight, it would have been quite easy to cut all that part out and set it all up just during the holiday. It would have also brought the film down in length from those 154 minutes. Yes, the accident sequence was very good, but did we really need to see it ? But aside from few indulgences, once the film actually gets going it is a real delight. There are some individual very funny moments (the one where two friends get stranded on a boat gets my top marks…) and generally speaking the inter-relationship between all the various characters is beautifully portrayed and very well observed. Of course, the whole things couldn't be more French and, seen from the eyes of a foreigner, all the so-called clichés that you would expect from these sort of people seem to be there: from the hysterical dialogue, to the wine drinking, the talk about sex and to the fact that they could all end up in each other's bed… and just when you think you've seen it all, a man shows up with a baguette under his arm (really!). However none of that takes anything away from the genuinely affecting drama that unfolds under your eyes. And just like in "the big chill", underneath the surface and all the laughs, there's an impending sense of nostalgia that permeates the atmosphere. All the performances are top-notch; so much so that they make real even some of the most far-fetched situations. These could be friends who spent most of their life knowing each other. François Cluzet, resembling more and more Dustin Hoffman, gets some of the best lines: his storyline about a man who's just been told by his best friend that he's in love with him, is probably the most original and definitely the most entertaining. Everything else is pretty standard for this sort of "re-union" films and yet perfectly enjoyable and very engaging. But while some of the characters work better than others, sadly it's the women that are most two-dimensional (with the single exception of Marion Cotillard) to the point that more than an hour into the film I was still not quite sure about how many where actually there. The film runs slightly out of steam towards the final act where the dialogue becomes more forced and a certain tendency to give every character a cathartic moment starts to creep in. The tearful drawn-out ending to the notes of Nina Simone's version of "My Way", however moving, was probably a step too far and where subtlety really went out of the window. On the whole it felt like a very personal film made by a director who should have been kept more on a leash by a more watchful producer. There's absolutely no excuse for a film of this kind to be so long! And yet, despite all its weaknesses I'm still giving it a thumb up. Would I watch it again? Definitely not. But I certainly did enjoy it the first time around

So, incredibly real. GREAT acting.

[frz_vmp · 7/10 · 8 July 2011]

Look, if you are looking for an incredibly funny movie, or an incredible drama!... don't watch this, you have to see this one expecting nothing from it, and i really think you will be pleasantly surprised with it, it's a solid story, really well written, i honestly in one moment got lost in it i thought i was watching like a documental or whatever, it seemed so real, the things that happen in the movie are so real, all the story, it's a movie about redemption, with a real message, the kind of message like "there are more important things in life than money" and all that stuff, it's really good.

I have to be honest, i only watched this movie because Marion Cotillard was in it , and she is one of my favorite actresses, so, i saw it expecting nothing and i really liked it.

Give it a try, its a story about family, love, it's sad... it makes you laugh, it's really REALLY good.

'The one thing friends can't escape is a few home truths.'

[gradyharp · 10/10 · 16 February 2013]

Guillaume Canet creates films (Tell No One, Whatever You Say, J'peux pas dormir..., Je taim) that though they are about love, loss and life, they probe more deeply into the human condition than the glossy entertaining surface can conceal. In the end all of his films demand that the viewer connects to his concept of the flow of life and death and those aspects of living that make a difference. Les petits mouchoirs AKA Little White Lies magnifies these attributes. The story is so conversationally written that for a while it is difficult to pull together where the film is going, but by the end of the film the audience is so choked by the discoveries revealed that tears and a stunned afterburn are inevitable.

Every year, Max Cantara (François Cluzet), a successful restaurant owner, and Véronique (Valérie Bonneton), his eco-friendly wife invite a their close-knit circle of friends to their beautiful Cap Ferrat beach house near Bordeaux to celebrate the birthday of Antoine (Laurent Lafitte) and kick-start the vacation. But, this year, before they all leave Paris, their mutual friend Ludo (Jean Dujardin) is hurt in a serious motorcycle accident, ends up the ICU and as the doctors say nothing can be done to change things for at least two weeks, the friends all proceed with their plans for vacation: no one stays behind to be supportive of Ludo, not even his apparent love partner Marie (Marion Cotillard). This sets off a dramatic chain of reactions and emotional responses. The eagerly anticipated vacation leads each of the protagonists to raise the little veils that for years they have draped over what bothers and upsets them. Pretenses become increasingly hard to keep up. Until the moment when the truth finally catches up with them all: each member of the group of friends has a problem that needs the support of real friends but none of them has the ability to share personal secrets. There are many concepts that are present here - one married man Vincent (Benoît Magimel) has an inexplicable physical and emotional attraction to Max who loathes the idea of a possible gay liaison; Marie is visited by an infrequent lover Nassim (Hocine Mérabet), Eric (Gilles Lellouche) longs to be reunited with the woman who has found another, Jean Louis (Joël Dupuch) awaits messages from his emotionally distant Juliette (Anne Marivin) - and so on. Yet each of these little situations confound Antoine who cannot believe this group would not stay near their critically injured friend Ludo. The consequences are revealing and point out the importance of owning up to the truths that define a life. To reveal the ending would be a disservice to all who may see this little masterpiece.

The entire cast is of the highest caliber and Canet succeeds in getting brilliant performances from each. Though each actor is excellent, the performances by Benoît Magimel, Marion Cotillard and François Cluzet are exceptional. This is a thinking person's film but one that holds as much brilliant drama and impact as any film before us today. Grady Harp, February 13

Pretty good film if you turn it off 10 minutes before the end

[pottypat-406-988909 · 7/10 · 3 July 2012]

I really enjoyed this movie. I liked the way it was filmed and directed. A good story, the script was tight, the actors very good and I engaged well in their characters. None of them were particularly likable either. I loved the sound track too, some great tunes. A shock for me was the ending, last 10 minutes. It appeared tacked on, as if the producer's wife said to him if you don't stick this on, no more amour for you Cherie. To me it almost ruined the movie, so turn it off about 10 minutes from the end, you'll know when. It would have got 10 stars from me but for that. But having said that if you're into Hollywood style huggy, tears and let it all out crap in slow mo with a wincingly appropriate tune, let it roll.

Laughter and tears and good actors what more do you want?

[nolketessa · 9/10 · 18 January 2011]

I went to see Les Petits Mouchoirs yesterday and loved every minute of it. And since there are 154 minutes of it, there is a whole lot to love! Yes, this movie lasts for two and a half hours but it certainly did not feel long to me at all.

I thought that the acting was very natural and the people were very real: wow, they even looked like normal people (except for Marion Cotillard who is out-of-this-world-beautiful); a feeling that I feel oftentimes is missing in Hollywood movies where only the dork is normal (= ugly) and the rest of the actors are nothing but overly gorgeous. Obviously some out of the ordinary circumstances occur - otherwise there would be no movie, would there? nobody wants to watch me go to work and do my groceries for two and a half hours - but the way the situations were dealt with made me feel like Les Petit Mouchoirs was a depiction of a slice of life. I laughed out loud on several occasions, but at the end also had a wet sleeve from drying my tears. And in that respect I feel very differently from one previous poster who feels that the acting was weak in the dramatic parts of the movie; I thought the acting was superb.

I definitely recommend this movie, I thought it was highly entertaining and an evening well-spent.

Hidden Truths

[claudio_carvalho · 6/10 · 11 December 2012]

In Paris, a truck runs over the biker Ludo (Jean Dujardin) while he is driving home after spending the night snorting cocaine in a night-club. His long-time friends visit him in the hospital where he is in coma. The group is ready to travel on the annual vacation to the house of the successful businessman Max Cantara (François Cluzet) nearby Bordeaux and they decide to travel anyway and return when Ludo is better.

The physiotherapist Vincent Ribaud (Benoît Magimel), who is married with a child, tells to his fifteen year-old friend and godfather of his son, Max, that he wants to talk to him in private and they have lunch together in Max's restaurant. Vincent discloses to him that he has fallen in love with him. Max reacts to his words and Vincent asks him to keep the secret and forget their conversation.

Along the days, each friend has a little secret while Max is near nervous breakdown with Vincent. Until the day that Max's friend Jean-Louis (Joël Dupuch) tells the truth about their little lies and friendship.

"Les Petits Mouchoirs" is a French movie about friends' reunion in the same style of the American "The Big Chill" by Lawrence Kasdan or the British "Peter's Friends" by Kenneth Branagh. The movie has great performances but the prolix story is too long, a corny conclusion and deserved to be better and better for such wonderful cast. I liked this movie, but many sub-plots and the conclusion should have been shortened or deleted in the edition. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "Até a Eternidade" ("Until the Eternity")

Always the quiet ones...

[fezzarange · 10/10 · 16 January 2013]

Trying to kill a couple of hours before bed, I decided to give this film a go even though I had not heard an awful lot about it. Having recently seen and enjoyed a couple of Canet's other films, I knew I would at least be entertained. In the next two and a half hours that followed, I can honestly say I was mesmerised by what I saw. As the film finished and the credits rolled in I was overcome with a strange feeling of sadness that the film had finished, but also a huge sense of gratitude that I had probably just seen one of the best films of my life. Coming from an actor and also a Film degree major, that is something I don't take lightly to admitting. Perhaps in time the novelty will wear off and the more times I see it, the more holes I will be able to pick in it. However, I know the film did something right as I felt compelled to sign up on here and write this review at 1am! Now I'm not going to bark on too much about all the reasons why this film is so great, because that is something you all have to make up your own minds with. The best compliment I can pay 'Little White Lies' is that it was such a genuine film in terms of content right down to the acting. Marion Cottilard in particular is absolutely fantastic, there aren't many people who can perform to that level, her performance was flawless at times. Anyhow, I've said my bit. This film deserves to be seen by everyone, I have, I hope you all do too.

difficult to feel sympathy with the characters

[david-robin · 6/10 · 20 October 2010]

This 'film choral' describes the relations in a group of friends in their 30-40s.

Like every summer, Max is inviting his friends to stay at his house by the sea. Unfortunately, a few days before the departure, Ludovic is heavily injured in a motorbike accident. This event is impacting the relations in the rest of the group...

This movie is pleasing thanks to the comedy scenes, such as the running references to the homosexual appeal of one the friend for another, which is very conservative and close-minded. Or the running gag about the love affair by SMS.

On the other hand, the emotional scenes were weak, and it was difficult to feel sympathy, sorrow or sadness. I think this is mostly due to the acting, which was not as good as required to express these very deep feelings. But it could also be a problem of film construction, as I really felt the emotional strings was overused, as a justification for the whole movie. Another point is that the large number of characters weaken the depiction of each's state of mind.

Finally, "Les Petits Mouchoirs" felt like a movie with some interesting ideas, but which were not selected and matured enough. The final cut is a too long movie, with a taste of unpolished scenario.

One of the most realistic movies ever about the truth of life......

[rolivire-1 · 9/10 · 23 January 2011]

Beautiful movie with topics and acting FAR ABOVE what we are used to get from the States (Hollywood). Most people in this movie of Canet are in their best years of their lives (and above the average if looking at their attractiveness)and meet on a holiday in Les Landes, south of France. Beautiful back ground music and (no French) songs coupled to nice realistic scenes of people which enjoy their holidays, but also have many disputes with their "friends". Acting is phenomenal!!All scenes within 2 and half hours watching are realistic and recognizable to the observer. The movie shows that people need each other to be able to have sex and make joy. If someone fells ill or is badly wounded as in this movie Ludo, he (or she) can shake it, because people tend to pay attention only to those which can offer them good company, joy or sex. Still there are some very friendly en good characters in this movie which offer people their attention without asking something in return. And off course the women in this movie are very forgiving to their more egoistic male partners, as is the case in real life.......

What are friends for?

[JohnRayPeterson · 7/10 · 24 November 2011]

This movie, as the IMDb full storyline explains, is about relationships between long time friends. I enjoyed how the camaraderie and also the intimate closeness friends share is depicted. It is honest, brutally at times, then again, close friends can get away with what family and acquaintances cannot. It goes into the psychology of the varied characters. Not every moviegoer likes this sort of thing and so if you normally don't, you certainly won't. Also, if you have a prejudice or preconception of the French, you may not enjoy the movie; I happen to like the French and had a great time when I visited there. Since there is no interaction between the French and North Americans in the movie, you won't be offended; there is no mention of Americans whatsoever. The music is mostly American but not what most American would call hip.

I watched it in French and am not sure how the English version would sound like; I'd hazard a guess that it's 'sucky' and would make the characters sound idiotic, as translations always stand to do, especially this kind of movie as opposed to action movies. There are moments that are touching and others harsh, but in the end the friends have rid themselves of any pretense that might have brought that friendship to an end, they are closer and all feel better for it. I found it interesting and was not disappointed. Only IMDb ratings were favorable, not the other sources I usually check; I felt the rating of 7, at time of my review, was fair and rated it the same.

The most infuriating French hit of the past few years...

[grinchbkb · 4/10 · 17 April 2011]

A triumph at the French box-office despite the proper lynching it received from home critics, Guillaume Canet's follow-up to the also-incomprehensible hit Tell No One is the most depressingly Gallic flick I've seen in years - and I'm french myself. Indeed, some have said it's the defining movie of the Sarkozy era – self-aggrandising, hyperactive, bling bling and shallow.

Little White Lies (Les Petits Mouchoirs en Français) portrays a group of long-time friends in their late thirties taking their traditional summer holiday in Cap Ferret (an über-posh peninsula near Bordeaux) despite having one of their own lying on a hospital bed after a horrific road accident. Soon, everyone's dirty secrets and half-truths resurface as guilt creeps in, triggering a series of hysteric fits and embarrassing revelations. It's a classic premise for a comedy-drama, seen before in Lawrence Kasdan's The Big Chill: the death of a common friend as catharsis for collective existential crisis. It's the type of canvas that requires a bit of subtlety from the filmmaker not to turn into a melodramatic cringefest and restraint from the actors not to become an excuse to ham the s**t out of the patronising dialogue.

Instead, Canet decided to go for "SIN-CE-RI-TY" (his mantra during promo interviews), refusing to intellectualise his "most personal film to date" (translation: "I've been staring at my belly button for the last three years"). He shot on his favourite vacation spot and got his wife (Marion Cotillard, yes) and friends to play the main parts. Oh dear. He also decided not to bother editing: the film clocks in above the two and a half hour mark, while managing the extraordinary feat of feeling static while being all over the place in terms of location, narrative developments and story-arcs. Put simply, it's a mess. Did I also mention that every single character is either a self-absorbed bobo idiot – floppy hair, Lacoste polos and flip flops – with insufferable levels of Frenchness (no one kisses their friends that often) or a loud, hysterical woman?

Full review on permanentplastichelmet.com

A slice of life in a group of mates

[mmunier · 9 July 2011]

Just saw this movie a few hours ago with another five people of which none were disappointed, as for me I thoroughly enjoyed it. I find it a little infuriating when I see comments advising other people what to do. Yes such forum gives opportunity to let one express one's feeling and appreciation. But I feel a little weary when such some person trying to judge the professional. It's not compulsory to like a movie, but I don't think it's right to expect other to feel the same. There are, in my view, plenty to enjoy in this movie. You're just following a group of friends ups and downs, interaction, through drama and comedy. It often looks so natural (Well perhaps not to bigots) It was interesting how it was chosen to have songs only in English throughout I wondered if it was smart marketing or just the way it is with the rise and impact of the English language in the world to day. I am French and somehow resent the fact my birth language is so diminished but I guess it's like a tide - you can't stop it so have to ride with it! I wonder how French people at home with no affinity for English feel about such a movie. Having said this I also much enjoyed the songs! As for the length... I'm never in hurry to leave a holiday situation!

31/1017!!! I just watched this movie (Again) And I have to admit I'm so puzzled about it for two reasons. 1) I tried to review it and was told that I had already done so! 2) If I reviewed it, it means I have seen it before! Well you could say it's good value 2 for the price of one.

Anyway, This time I had trouble to get into it. We had recorded it and I had several go at it before finally watching the whole thing! I had problem to get into the characters, found it a little irritating and slow to get to the point but eventually I got into the right mood and after all found it worthwhile. I'm quite fond of F Cluzet and M Cotillard. His character was quite interesting with his way to react to a threatening situation and his way he handle it. Yes you would need to be in a proper mood to stay with the entire show. But after all I found it rewarding. However this time I'm not repeating that I thoroughly enjoyed it. Perhaps being a few years older I don't see and feel the same about lots of things... It'a little of a worry if in 5 years I will also forget again having see it. But what the heck dementia is not always and all bad... The professional reviewers I understand were quite divided about it and the effort of Guillaume Canet who wrote and directed it. But this should not be a deterrent - Give it a go.

Realistic but nearly spoiled by terrible music

[tgooderson · 7/10 · 14 April 2012]

2010's Little White Lies is a French Comedy-Drama from actor/director Guillaume Canet (Tell No One) and stars an ensemble cast of the great and the good of French cinema in a story about love, friendship and lies.

The film begins in a Paris night club where Ludo (Jean Dujardin – The Artist) is drinking. On his way home his scooter is hit by a lorry and he is left with severe injuries. After visiting him in hospital, his close group of friends decide that they will continue with their yearly tradition of holidaying at hotel owner Max's (Francois Cluzet – Tell No One) holiday home near Bordeaux in spite of Ludo's inability to join them. Seven friends set off for two weeks, leaving Ludo in the Paris hospital. There is plenty of eating, drinking and boating but also tension in the group for various reasons, all of which are played out and resolved over the 154 minute run time.

The film features some extraordinarily stereotyped characters. Of the women there is an Earth Mother type (Valérie Bonneton), a free spirit, arty one (Marion Cotillard) and a sexually frustrated wife/mother (Pascale Arbillot). Of the male characters there is the drug taking, party boy (Dujardin), playboy, arrogant actor (Gilles Lellouche – Adele Blanc-sec), the rich obsessive (Cluzet), the neurotic (Laurent Lafitte) and the sexually confused husband (Benoît Magimel). There are some fantastic actors in that bunch and some of them are spectacular in the film but all of the characters are badly drawn and stereotypical.

The story intertwines and proceeds at a steady pace. It is interesting to watch and like being a fly on the wall at an extended middle class dinner party. The film almost invites the audience in as one of the friends and makes you want to be part of the group. There are nice little side stories with each character spending time with each other and each having their own problems and issues, some of which are more volatile than others. The script isn't particularly funny but the film most definitely is. The humour comes from the awkwardness of certain situations and the actor's physical reactions to the dialogue, mostly in the form of surprised looks and glaring glances. Every now and then a secondary character will pop in for a few minutes which helps to add to the realism of the story.

The acting is fantastic across the board with Bonneton and Lellouche receiving Cesar nominations for their efforts. Personally I thought that Cluzet stood out more and Cotillard was very understated but fiery when she needed to be. Dujardin is also very good in a smaller role than the others. Either way, the film is an acting master class. One thing that perhaps helped with the acting and also helped to make the film feel so realistic are the actor's relationships with each other. Cluzet and Bonneton are married, Cotillard is married to the director Canet and Cluzet, Lellouche and Canet worked together on Tell No One. These pre-existing working and personal relationships must have helped the director and cast to feel at ease while working together and it definitely shows up on film. It feels like everyone had fun making the film.

One thing that nearly ruined the film for me is the music. The choice of music is diabolical. The director has chosen music to intensify the audience's emotions but in doing so is treating his audience like idiots. Each time there is a sad scene some mushy, American Ballard is played and when we need to be uplifted we get some sort of happy, funky pop. Its shocking how bad the music is and the director might as well have just had flashing red letters on the screen reading 'LAUGH NOW' or 'BE SAD' at the appropriate moments. I can't tell you how much this irked me and it honestly came close to ruining an otherwise decent film.

Overall this is an admirable film which features an engaging story and fantastic acting. It is both funny and sad and feels incredibly realistic. It is too long however and makes use of some terrible music.

www.attheback.blogspot.com

One of the most memorable movies of the decade! A true masterpiece!

[Ai-Hi · 10/10 · 14 May 2011]

This film is a genuine masterpiece! I was simply breathless after seeing it and it took me a few days to get back to Earth. Amazing cast, great directing, topical script, strong message, superb experience! I particularly liked the cast. Marion Cotillard is probably the most popular among the actors but all of them somehow fit very well in the picture and the whole team leaves the impression of a well-oiled machine. The dialogue is sound and the directing is great, bravo to Guillaume Canet! А memorable movie charged with a great load of sensibility and emotionality.

10/10

Cest la vie....

[EvelinaDim · 6/10 · 25 April 2011]

A group of old friends on a holiday in an idyllic place at the cost of France are going through a series of events with a major impact on their lives. Not a masterpiece by any means but a highly recommended film to watch especially if you are on your 30s-40s and want to find something to relate to combined with eye-pleasing photography.

It is almost as if the film was based on a 'what makes a good Sunday evening cinema movie' list. Award winning actors V (tick), Ideal location V, old friends on a holiday V, dare to be V, trim women on their mid 30s V, spring summer summer-wear collection V, a variety of characters with a plethora or emotional complexions and attitudes that most of the viewers can relate to V, French accent V, great music including attractive guitarist V and a lot more.....All very well crafted and no wonder the movie needed to be 154 minutes long to contain all these elements....

The director, Guillaume Canet, a true idealist, clearly rates human relationships, interactions, friendships, the power of feelings and the importance of daring to express them and listen to them at all costs. After the great success of Tell No One, Canet copied and pasted a few elements on Little White Lies. Cluzet as a protagonist, the scene of old friends enjoying a holiday and drinking red wine on a summer evening before something major happens, the powerful soundtracks...Nevertheless, he knows how to put this together well and make viewers contemplate on their lives, friends and deep, hidden secrets...

Surely a lot of Europeans will be googling the location after the movie and looking for the soundtracks too. The music is very well suited to the film to support the balance between humour and drama with highlight the version of 'I did it my way' at the end. A food for thought for your journey back home....

Group Therapy

[writers_reign · 8/10 · 16 April 2011]

This is our old friend the Catalyst plot in which a stranger insinuates himself into a community, group, and causes mayhem until by the end the screen is littered with skeletons emerging from closets. Guillaume Canet has added spin to this trite plot by having the catalyst not coming INTO the group but LEAVING it. In short a long established group of friends spend a month each year on vacation as the guest of Max, a self-made successful businessman. On the eve of this years vacation one of the group, Jean Dujardin, is involved in a horrific road accident that eventually proves terminal. The friends opt to go on vacation anyway on the grounds that they are impotent so far as practical help goes. This decision, natch, unleashes all sorts of revelations, home truths, violence etc. Canet is a highly accomplished writer director and whilst this entry lacks the thrills and tension of Tell No One - which was adapted from a best selling novel rather than an Original screenplay as here - he still draws outstanding performances from the entire ensemble. Catch it if you can.

a touching story full of comedy and drama at the same time

[salomeabesadze · 7/10 · 13 November 2013]

the film is shot very realistic way. some of the character types you may find between your friends. and the situation having vacation with friends is quite similar to reality. that's what made me to watch this movie for 2 hours.the most important part of the movie is final. which is just brilliant! that's what makes this movie valuable.the movie shows the devaluation of friendship, when humans are too much self-oriented and they think of just their own problems,care abut their comfort, and friend is realized as part of the comfort. they forget that friendship should be more, then just spending time together and having fun. unfortunately the characters realize this only after death of Ludo..

watch it with friends!

Together, yet...

[aharmas · 9/10 · 1 September 2012]

French movies tend to be deeper than American films. There is an unwritten law that we get to know the characters much better, and it is almost guaranteed the acting is going to be usually very good. "Lies" has some of the most recognizable faces in contemporary French cinema, and it promises to be an insightful look at friendship, I suppose from the French point of view. It is about friendship and communication, and it does manage to cross cultural barriers because in the end, we're pretty much alike.

The premise behind the story has been explored before, but as I mentioned before, we are going to see some sophisticated approaches here, and in one of its shortcomings, the film does run a little long. It could have benefited from a few trims, or in a wiser move, maybe some more background about who these people really are. We know they spend long stretches of time together, and they seem to enjoy the company of each other, though I was wondering how they put up with Max, a man who stands out for being distant, a little arrogant, and not too warm or as down too earth as the rest of the group. He's somehow central to the storyline, and it would have been good to know more about what he means to the rest, beside excellent beach house accommodations.

As usual, Marion Cotillard shines in her role as the woman who is not as simple as it appears. She carries emotional baggage (unexplained of course), but it is her facial expressions, her longing, her sad looks, which reveal her unhappiness. Maybe she tries too hard, or not hard enough. It's time to make a choice and decide what could work.

Vincent (Benoit Magimel) is quiet but intense, carrying a secret about himself for too long, and it is perfect timing from the director that allows him to stand out. Maybe it is the fact that he says little, and when he speaks, he says only what matters. It is an interesting performance.

There is a big question at the end of the film, and it is the incomprehensible decision about the vacation itself. There is a big event at the beginning of the film, and I didn't understand why the trip was taking place so soon. This is supposed to deliver a punch in the final scenes. Maybe it is does reveal what we don't want to know. I had questions about this type of human interaction before and wondered why sometimes the obvious takes so long to happen, if it ever. In most cases regret is usually the end result.

Little French Lies

[Joannsen · 6/10 · 14 June 2011]

The little (or sometimes big) lies which even the closest friends tell each other, unable to step up to the truth about their own situations and feelings are – as the title already reveals – in the focus of the film. A group of people, who have known each other for years, spend the summer holidays in a beautiful location on the French coast, as they have done so for many years, but this time the atmosphere is tainted due to a tragic incident. Judging from their long history together, one would expect them to be very honest with each other, but as the story evolves, we realize that each of them is keeping secrets or twisting the truth a little bit in order not to expose their real fears, feelings or their relationship issues. The film is noticeably French (which isn't by any means a bad thing) – not only because the protagonists are never seen without a glass of red wine or a cigarette in their hands – because it is very heavy on dialog, with a lot of love for detail and precise observations of human behavior and it reminds you of other French films like "The Barbarian Invasions" (2003). "Little white lies" has a lot of subtle humor, an interesting plot and some surprising twists. However, the moral of the film is not necessarily new (difficult times make people appreciate each other more and show you how important friendship indeed is) and the duration (154 min) is also a bit exaggerated – half an hour less would not have hurt the story. Entertaining and worth seeing, but not a revelation.

Enjoyable film to get the French vibe

[LucyBonette · 7/10 · 12 January 2015]

Firstly, I watched this film online, so I watched in two parts. I have no patience to watch films longer than 90 minutes in one go, regardless of the quality.

I really like the film and the characters, there is not much story, but to me this is just about watching a group of friends interact. There may not be much background to how they act, but that is how things are with friends that you have known for years.

Some have mentioned this was all a bit too French, with various clichés throughout. But having spent a summer with French friends in a similar house at the Bordeaux coast, I must say, this is just what it's really like in France. From clothing, to food to kissing everybody all the time. This is real people. Or at least in the social circle I was in.

All in all, i really liked it. But maybe I was just being nostalgic.

An Accident Victim and His Thoughtless Circle of Friends

[Chris_Pandolfi · 5/10 · 24 August 2012]

"Little White Lies" goes a long way – at 154 minutes, an incredibly long way – for so very little. At its most fundamental level, it's about a group of people who come to realize at the most appropriate time that they're more concerned about themselves than they are about others, specifically their mutual friend, who lies in a hospital bed in critical condition. But this discovery isn't made until the final five minutes. Before then, all the lead characters are embroiled in incidental relationship odysseys, all of which are examined at such a distance that it's virtually impossible to become emotionally invested. It doesn't help that the characters themselves aren't that well developed; they're given plenty of dialogue and situations to work their way through, but never once does it seem as if we're getting to know them.

Kick starting the plot is a man named Ludo (Jean Dujardin), who exits a nightclub in Paris high on cocaine, drives away on his motorcycle, and is soon thereafter rammed by a truck. His friends soon hear about it and pay him a visit in the hospital, where of course they do and say the appropriate things. The visit ends, and although it's obvious that Ludo is fighting for his life, the friends decide that they should stick to their normal routine and take their annual two-week lakeside summer vacation. It isn't until the final act that they all watch one of their home movies, staring at Ludo and his larger-than-life antics nostalgically; that, coupled with a very predictable turn of events, finally awakens the friends to the fact that they aren't the most thoughtful of people and made a huge mistake going on this vacation.

These opening and closing segments are every bit as routine as they sound, but we can still give writer/director Guillaume Canet credit for having his heart in the right place. Unfortunately, both segments are separated by a long, meandering middle section devoted to subplots involving the personal lives of the friends. Apart from the fact that almost none of their stories have anything to do with the character of Ludo, most of them are coldly developed and disappointingly resolved. A vast majority of the relationship drama happens at the vacation home of Max (François Cluzet), a wealthy restaurateur so uptight and controlling that it's a wonder anyone would stay friends with him, let alone go on vacation with him annually. And don't get me started on the fact that his wife, Véro (Valérie Bonneton), can actually put up with him.

One of the subplots begins when Max's friend and personal chiropractor, Vincent (Benoît Magimel), admits to Max that his feelings for him have grown into a physical attraction. Vincent is aware that Max doesn't feel the same way, is apparently content with being only his friend, and remains tactful during the vacation. Max, on the other hand, becomes even more of a nervous wreck and is driven to extremes that are initially amusing but eventually become cruel. At the heart of the matter, of course, is that Vincent, a husband and father, is in denial about his homosexuality and had clearly not taken Max's mental state into consideration when deciding to join him at his summer home – with his wife and children. It's a compelling idea, but the way this movie handles it, it's one of many subplots that doesn't get off to a great start and isn't allowed to go anywhere.

We meet an actor named Eric (Gilles Lellouche) and a young man named Antoine (Laurent Lafitte), both struggling in the romance department. The former is in a loudmouth and is well aware that he hasn't been able to commit and can't start now. Why then does he get so upset when his relationship with an opera singer named Lea (Louise Monot) suddenly ends? The latter is fixated on a mostly unseen woman named Juliette (Anne Marivin), who, despite her eleven-year relationship with Antoine, is engaged to another man. Antoine hangs on every text she sends him and is so annoyingly one-tracked that he has to tell everyone about them at all times. The biggest enigma is Marie (Marion Cotillard), whose dating dramas are so faintly alluded to that their inclusions are baffling. It's strongly suggested that she was an item with Ludo, yet she's briefly joined at the summer house by a handsome musician. And what are we to make of an early scene during Antoine's birthday party, where a woman enters the restaurant, has a few tense words with Marie, and then exits both the restaurant and the film?

The film, released in its native France in late 2010 but only now reaching American audiences, has been billed in part as a comedy. I'm not exactly sure why; there are one or two obviously funny sight gags, but on the whole, the lighter moments are so subtle and low key that they're likely to go completely over the heads of the audience. Of course, labeling it purely as a drama wouldn't have saved it from being slow and unrewarding. "Little White Lies" is well intentioned but terribly unsure of itself, spending far too much time on secondary vignettes and not enough time on the main story. Before the final act and the obligatory emotional resolution, there came a point at which I began to wonder why the Dujardin character was introduced at all. He was barely brought up during the two-hour middle section, which suggests the filmmakers were just as unmindful of him as his friends.

-- Chris Pandolfi (www.atatheaternearyou.net)

Guillaume Canet's comedy/drama of french friends

[richwgriffin-227-176635 · 10/10 · 19 February 2013]

I love this movie! French actors are simply the best and everyone delivers top-notch performances. Superbly directed, written and acted - my very favorite is Benoit Magimel as Vincent, who thinks he's in love with Cluzet's Max. Francois Cluzet gives his best ever comedic performance. I'm not familiar with Valerie Bonnetton, but her scene when she really lets Max have it for his boorish behavior is a standout. Gilles Lellouche deserved his Cesar nomination for his selfish self-absorbed yet likable frenchman who has a case of arrested development. The actor who plays Antoine was new to me and quite good in his role. Marion Cotillard plays neurotic women very well. I was unfamiliar with some of the other actors and I enjoyed all of their performances.

I always find it interesting when they use English language music in french movies - do they not have as much attachment to french songs and performers? This movie is definitely worth spending the time to watch and enjoy! The film is long, a little over 2 1/2 hours, but I was engaged throughout - wished it wouldn't end.

A French Big Chill

[abisio · 9/10 · 6 February 2013]

In Laurence Kasdan's Big Chill; a death (suicide) causes a group of friends to meet again after many years and reconnect with each other. That movie was about people loosing touch with many things in life in the coldness of this world.

Canet's Little White Lies, is a twist on the original premise. One of a group (Parissian) friends has an accident; but as nobody really cares about the others; they continue their planned vacation leaving the guy at the hospital alone by himself.

There is not a complete story about each one of them; just hints; but that is enough to realize the selfishness of this people. Also to mark the difference between city and rural people.

In brief; it is a very good movie; a little long perhaps but worth seeing