bjarias It's a fun movie, with a great cast... don't even think about it, just watch and enjoy. It's mostly a foreign language film, but set mainly in New York City. And it really shows New York in a down to earth style that is real life and appealing. It's the kind of film that shows movie making does not have to be overly complicated and sensational. Just dealing with the real life stories of everyday people can be most enjoyable. There's probably not going to be a large audience for this film, and that's a shame, for most would wholeheartedly enjoy it. When you go to a movie theater in this country, this is not the type of film you are most likely going to the theater to see... but if you did, you'd probably enjoy it a lot more than a majority of the other junk that's on the marquee. And contrary to what she declares, it's always easier for most very beautiful women to be attracted to and 'fall-for' rich good looking men.. (while the ex winds up with poor cute Audrey..and two more kids).

aharmas Audrey Tautou and Romain Duris might not reach the heights of Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn, or the lighter, more down-to-earth "Four Weddings and a Funeral"... "Chinse Puzzle" is neither ultra-sophisticated or really funny, but it is amusing, with a different perspective for romantic comedies, giving us a rawer and truly different take on the way men and women understand each other. For starters, where do you go after being together for ten years with a woman from another country? You just jump on the first plane and cross the ocean! It's at this moment you leave all sense of logic behind because a seemingly successful writer in Paris becomes an apparently broken foreigner who must find some contrived maneuvers to survive in the Big Apple. I guess they needed some color and a bit of a "ethnic" atmosphere here. I think it would have been easier just to keep matters simple. The different relationships would have worked on their own, mostly on the chemistry of the principal cast. However, if our hero has to struggle, then we can bring INS in and really complicate things.Xavier is best friends with a lesbian, but he and his wife can't truly communicate, break up and somehow it is better when they're apart. The dialogue feels very strange when it's not even a combination of languages, but like seeing two people failing to communicate in a UN meeting. The children never speak English? What's the deal with writer's block, too? Throw in donating sperm for the lesbian couple, marrying a Chinese woman to stay in N.Y., and you come up with something entertaining, but that still feels half-cooked.With all these obstacles, it would seem impossible to like what appears to be a mess, but all the actors are very appealing, and there's something fresh about seeing French actors struggle in N.Y. They are always so sophisticated, dressed impeccably in the latest fashions, and here they are confused, emotionally unstable, not unleashing sophisticated charm on us, but appearing vulnerable and very likable.Tautou shines in her pedestrian outfits, even when she gets a dynamite scene dealing with a Chinese magnate and proves she is a formidable actress. She's lovely as she ages and shows her flaws. Cecile De France approaches her relationship in an aggressive but still appealing way. She's just free. It's also cool to have an ex-partner in a legal meeting who is not tearing the other apart. The only bad guy here appears to be the INS agent, but even he looks pretty understanding in the end.It's cool to see N.Y. from the immigrant's point of view, without drowning the story in sadness and tragedy or just making it too fluffy. Yes, it might be contrived, but it's still like a French soufflé, enjoyable and light, and maybe forgettable quite soon.

mistercsays1 As an avowed fan of both The Spanish Apartment (2002) and Russian Dolls (2005), it was with much anticipation that I awaited the arrival of the third film in the series – Chinese Puzzle – into Australian cinemas. Of course, such anticipation can often lead to disappointment, but I am pleased to report that this wasn't the case in this instance, with Chinese Puzzle proving a more than worthy next chapter in the lives of this disparate bunch of characters. Written and directed by Cedric Klapisch, Chinese Puzzle is a truly cosmopolitan film with a predominantly European and Asian cast inhabiting a story set amid the hustle and bustle of contemporary New York. From the moment the opening credit sequence began – comprising images of the various key characters from all three films over a fabulously funky soundtrack – I had a smile on my face.For those who have seen the previous two films, it is a familiarity with these flawed but utterly likable characters that make the film so enjoyable. The narrative centres on Xavier (Romain Duris) who, at the beginning of the film, is living in France with girlfriend Wendy (Kelly Reilly) and their two kids. However, when Wendy announces that she and the kids are uprooting for a life in New York with new beau John (Peter Hermann), the story kicks into gear. Desperate to remain a part of his children's lives, Xavier follows in hot pursuit and temporarily moves in with lesbian pal Isabelle (Cecile De France), who has also recently relocated to the Big Apple and shares an apartment with her girlfriend Ju (Sandrine Holt). Xavier finds himself in the midst of all manner of predicaments. He needs to find a job and somewhere to live and is under increasing pressure from his Paris-based editor to finish his new novel. Complicating matters further is the fact that Isabelle is pregnant thanks to a sperm donation from Xavier.In an effort to secure American citizenship, Xavier enters into a marriage with Nancy (Li Jun Li), the niece of a man to whom he lends assistance during a road rage attack. All the while, Xavier is complicit in an affair between Isabelle and a babysitter (also named Isabelle) and, when old flame Martine (a beguiling Audrey Tautou) arrives in town with her two children in tow, it seems as though everything might come crumbling down for our hapless protagonist. There are wonderfully comedic moments galore, along with splashes of sentiment and introspection as Xavier takes stock of his own life and desperately tries to prevent everything from falling apart. Duris is terrific in the lead role, presenting Xavier as desperate yet charming with a genuine affection for the various people in his life. The film has plenty to say about love, friendship and the passing of time. All the main characters have, for the most part, matured both physically and emotionally and the friendships have endured across time and space.At times, the film seems like a paean to the city of New York as much as anything, with Klapisch showing us parts of the city that are rarely seen in the myriad action films and romantic comedies that emanate from here. Not only do we see this other side of New York, but Klapisch seems to want us to truly appreciate the sights, sounds, energy and idiosyncrasies of the place, all of which add to the charm of the film. Whilst all the lead performances are fine, as you would expect given their familiarity with their characters, those in supporting roles also shine. In particular, both Holt and Li are fabulously understated but effective in their portrayals, while Jason Kravits is funny as Xavier's two-bit lawyer. It is also great to see child characters that are a far cry from the whining, petulant monsters that we typically see in Hollywood productions. Throw in some magic realism by way of fantasy sequences that summon famous European philosophers to impart words of wisdom upon Xavier and you have a thoroughly delightful cinematic experience.More than anything, it is the various implications and complications of the relationships that make Chinese Puzzle such a treat. Whilst the ending does seemingly wrap things up somewhat neatly, it also leaves open the possibility of more to come from this group and I would certainly welcome an opportunity to spend more time in their company.

euroGary The threequel to 'Pot Luck' and 'Russian Dolls', 'Chinese Puzzle' picks up the story of French writer Xavier (Romain Duris, engaging as ever). He's now married to Briton Wendy (Kelly Reilly), with whom he has two children. His Belgian lesbian chum Isabelle (Cécile De France) is obsessing about having children and Xavier agrees, against Wendy's wishes, to provide the sperm with which Isabelle will be artificially inseminated (who said romance was dead?) Meanwhile, Wendy meets an American and sets up home with him in New York, taking her and Xavier's children with her. Distraught at losing contact with the children, Xavier relocates to New York himself. But will he ever find lasting love?There are many things casually presented as acceptable here which some may take issue with (eg the self-indulgent, artificial creation of children in a time of over-population; visa-convenient marriages). But this film is so feel-good that even a grouch like me sat grinning - or laughing out loud - for much of it. Returning players Duris, De France and Audrey Tautou slip on their former roles with ease; Reilly's acting I found a bit too soap operaish. Of the new characters, Jason Kravits, as Duris' sleazy lawyer, does a fine comic turn. The film is pure entertainment - in fact, if it weren't for Xavier and Wendy's annoyingly precocious, wise-beyond-his-years son, it would be near perfect. But this is still another splendid chapter in Cédric Klapisch's romcom saga.