Let's Talk About the Rain

An interesting film, not without some very funny incidents, in which two unlikely blokes try to film a woman who wants to become a politician. You mustn't forget that this is a French film, so this rather eccentric premise is a taken. The laughs and titters come quite often actually. Watch out for the scene with the sheep on the hill in Provence.

A quiet slowly paced film. It explores the relationship between two sisters and significant others in their lives. Beautifully photographed, the camera work is excellent.

It is also very humorous in places, but this springs naturally from the characterisations & is never forced. Really enjoyed watching it.

What a boring film. I certainly wouldn't recommend it. Just about managed to stay awake for the duration. Yawn yawn.

I don't think this is a movie for people who do not speak french, let me explain:

I never use subtitles when watching a french movie because i am perfectly bilingual. But at one point in the movie i put the subtitles on because i wanted to see how they translated something which is very important to the French and totally confusing for the English: the polite and rude way to address someone.

In English, you have the word 'you', whether you address someone you know or a stranger.

In France, we have two different words and can convey respect or complete disrespect for someone.

I don't want to get into a French lesson here but in a nutshell, we use the word 'tu' when we talk to a child, a friend, a member of our family, basically it is a familiar way to address people.

We use the word 'vous' as a mark of respect, to speak to people we don't know, to elderly folks, doctors, vets....

But if someone has the intention to be rude, disrespectful, even racist, he/she will use the word 'tu'. For instance, you wouldn't say 'tu' to the Queen. It would be like saying to her 'hey, what's up sis'.

Why am i mentioning this? Very simply because it is one of the very important point that Karim (the young cameraman in the movie) makes to Agathe. He explains to her that since childhood, people have said 'tu' to him, always showing disrespect, even his mother had the same treatment (he tells Agathe a time when his mum went to a chemist and the woman at the counter said 'tu' to her). But you see, the translation totally missed this. The translation said 'boy' and nothing regarding the racist treatment of his mother.

The cleverness of the movie is a lot to do with what they say, if you are not given an intelligent translation, it will go over your head and the movie will end up seeming dull and pointless.

A pleasant and strangely comforting film about the relationships between a group of middle-class people, and the way that they shape and reshape their lives as reality hits upon their dreams and ambitions. Directed by Agnes Jaoui from the screenplay written by her husband Jean-Pierre Bacri I’d certainly be interested in seeing more of the films acted in/written/directed by this hard working couple.