MOVIE REVIEW

'God is Great, I'm Not'

Fans of Amélie shouldn't expect much from this tiresome romantic comedy.

By Kevin Thomas
Times Staff Writer

January 31, 2003

"God Is Great, I'm Not" is far from great, and this off-putting French romantic comedy is sure to test severely the indulgence of fans of "Amélie." That film's talented star Audrey Tautou has here been encouraged by director-co-writer Pascale Bailly to mug, strike poses and bat her big dark eyes shamelessly -- and soon tiresomely.

Tautou's 20-year-old Paris fashion model Michèle has just broken up with her boyfriend (Mathieu Demy) and feels overwhelmed by life to the point of feeling suicidal but eventually develops spiritual yearnings. So when she meets François (Edouard Baer), a 32-year-old veterinarian, she not only is swept away by his handsome looks and sophisticated charm but also by his religion. That he is a largely nonobservant Jew does not stop her from plunging into studying Judaism and Hebrew with such obsessive yet doggedly superficial zeal it's hard to believe she has any time to pursue her demanding profession.

Indeed, for all we know she may have abandoned it when she moves into François' elegant townhouse apartment -- he certainly must be remarkably successful to afford such a home in Paris. Their love life is great, but out of bed, relentless airhead Michèle drives François nuts with her newly adopted religion. She is so wrapped up in Judaism, having blithely forsaken Buddhism, she is oblivious to François' views on religion. She doesn't even press him as to why he doesn't want his neighbors to know he's Jewish. There's also a tiresome subplot involving Michèle's neurotic mother and her stepfather, whom she loathes to a degree that remains inexplicable.

To be sure, the situation between the lovers gets worse before it has a prayer of getting better. By then, however, it seems safe to say that many viewers will be way past caring.

'God is Great, I'm Not'

MPAA rating: unrated

Times guidelines: some sensuality, adult themes

Audrey Tautou ... Michèle
Edouard Baer ... François
Julie Depardieu ... Valérie
Mathieu Demy ... Bertrand

An Empire Pictures release of a Les Films Alain Sarde/Dacia Films production with the participation of Canal Plus and CNC. Director Pascale Bailly. Producers Alain Sarde, Georges Benayoun. Executive producers Francoise Guglielmi, Christine Gozlan. Screenplay by Bailly, Alain Tasma. Cinematographer Antoine Roch. Editor Lise Beaulieu. Music Stéphane Malca. Costumes Khadija Zeggaï. Art director Denis Mercier. In French, with English subtitles. Running time: 1 hour, 42 minutes.

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