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The Russian Dolls review
:. Director: Cédric Klapisch
:. Starring: Romain Duris, Audrey Tautou
:. Running Time: 2:05
:. Year: 2006
:. Country: France
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In this follow-up to the international hit L'Auberge Espagnole, we once again follow the romantic misadventures of Xavier (Romain Duris), which this time, bring him from Paris to England and Russia.
Now in his 30's, Xavier is still somewhat of a screw-up who doesn't really know what he wants or where he is going — to quote one of my friends, he's the archetype of the modern French guy. He's not that sympathetic, more of a jerk, the kind of roles where Duris excels — also check out his performance in the haunting The Beat That My Heart Skipped.
Most of the original characters are back, with director Cédric Klapisch reiterating the formula he used in the second entry of this trilogy (When the Cat's Away was the first installment): humor, a vague sense of anarchy and some cool editing tricks. But this time, he clearly builds his film on the theme of globalization, whether it's in terms of work, finance or love. Klapisch erases any notion of boundaries, stating that modern society should be international rather than local, which I certainly agree with, as a Frenchie established in Los Angeles.
One might regret that Klapisch's vision of women is a bit too clichéd and restrictive, from the annoying ex to truck-driver-type lesbians, Russian ballet dancers and shallow models, but he doesn't spare men either, as most of them are depicted as jerks. One can however certainly credit the filmmaker for not being afraid to build his films around characters that are not very likable in the first place, which gives his cinema a realistic and modern touch.
Lacking originality, The Russian Dolls can easily be seen as a way to cash in on the success of L'Auberge Espagnole, but you will certainly be happy to his group of former roommates again.
Fred Thom
 L'Auberge Espagnole
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