Heartbreaker (2010)

This delightful French romantic comedy slipped under most people's radars when it came out last year, and it is a shame as it is a whole lot of fun, a breezy and entertaining film that manages to walk the line of convention without tipping fully into cliché.

The film concerns itself with Alex, a professional breakup master. He is hired to break up unsuitable couples, by offering the women a glimpse of the romance they deserve. He never gets involved with a client, and only deals with unhappy couples. On his latest job he is hired to breakup a seemingly perfect couple, in the short 10 days before they get married. Now it is to the films immense credit that both the pre-tense and possibly mean spirited premise don't obstruct the film. This is largely down to the charming work done by Romain Duris in the main role, he is a very French leading man, suave, sophisticated but impulsive and charming. The main focus on the film is the relationship that develops between him and Vanessa Paradis's steely Juliette as he find her every bit a match for his usual techniques and tricks. Posing as her bodyguard as she sorts out the wedding preparations in Monaco gives him the perfect 'in' to her life, but winning her over isn't so straightforward.

As well as the fresh Gaelic tone of the film the stunning European backdrops really add character and glamour to the film. It is difficult to imagine the story playing out against the gloomy autumn backdrop of London and there is a very Mediterranean atmosphere as a result. Making up the rest of Alex's crew are his sister and her husband. They provide a lot of the humour of the film, which veers from clever farce to slapstick depending on the scene. This mix of styles suits the film well and the lack of many of the rom-com tropes is welcome. Sure you can see where the story is going, but it never quite does what you expect. The script is sharp and witty and the characters are warm, making it easy to root for them.

That said don't expect a revolution of the genre, despite it's European quirk this is still very much a romantic comedy and your mileage with that might vary. I also felt the ending was slightly undercooked, but I did appreciate the films reluctance to frame anyone as the villain of the piece. It is not an especially deep or memorable film, but it's not trying to be. Overall if you are after a fun and, dare I say, heart-warming, little film you could do plenty worse. At a time where many of the so called rom-com's leaving the US system are awful, it's nice to see that when done right there is still a place for them in any film lovers repertoire.