Priceless- Hors de prix (2006)

The expectation
Starring Audrey Tautou of Amelie and A Very Long Engagement, two beautifully stylized films with great performances by a talented and beautiful French actress, Priceless seemed like a light, romantic flick. My expectations were low, especially in the story itself. This means that the performances by the actors themselves had to hold the film up, forcing a bond between the characters and the audience. Good performances, mediocre story. And of course, I wanted the film to exhibit the stunning look that I have become accustomed to with Tautou's previous films (probably not very fair, but star personas do influence the films they carry).

The result
It is very slow in the beginning. As a character centered world, the film industry works to suture the audience to one or two characters to create a certain bond that makes them want to stay for the whole film. What will happen to the girl, the boy, will they get together? And so forth. Priceless' characters are Irene and Jean. Irene loves all the pleasures of a wealthy lifestyle and Jean loves Irene, but he is a working man. Initially, I despised Irene, for her treatment of Jean early on, but mostly because of her position in exploiting her youth and beauty to gain jewelry, expensive clothes, and accessories. She is devoid of pity, selfish and merciless in consuming. The setup is disgusting. And Jean goes along with it, he allows himself to be used, spending every amount of money he has on her, until he is broke and she walks away. Now he is disgusting. And this gives me enough despair of the two of them so that I do not care what happens next. And then I am disappointed because the game they play throughout the rest of the film is entertaining, but I still do not care. They are shameless together, both on equal footing, competing in the spirit of friendship. The end is cliche, and completely without any realism. Irene just drops her desire for things, even after the whole film forces it down you throat? It makes the whole film seem worthless and now I am angry at its triteness. But I can celebrate my own situation, my understanding of the fickleness of expensive desires. And that is what the film's intention is, to situate excess consumption for its own sake in one of Dante's rings of hell. So many American girls should see this film, but not because it is good.

Pay attention to (if you go)
The leads: both leading actors are beautiful, tanned, and pose well (sometimes that is all I can say).
Their intersection: If you survive the beginning, their intersecting stories as exploiters on equal footing is fun in a very meaningless way.
The scenery: beautiful long shots of resort areas on the French Riviera. The scenery is something to fight for.
The end: what would a sequel be like? Try to have a dialogue with the film's forced suspension of belief (you did it, you wanted them to be happy together at the end).
Materialism vs. Love and Happiness: which one really wins? suckers