French cruelty makes another appearance in Lartigau’s cute romantic comedy-otherwise known as How to Get Married and Stay Single. In this case, the victim is the family of forty-three year old Luis Costa (Alain Chabat), a successful parfumier whose nose is put out of joint by his overbearing family. The part-time playboy wants to stay single; his domineering mother, five sisters and plethora of nieces want to see him grow up and get married. They hatch a plan to introduce him to suitable women, he hatches a plan to stop them in their tracks.

This rather contrived story is as old as time yet director Eric Lartigau gives it a fresh lease of life thanks largely to Chabat’s endearing performance as the roguish Luis, and Charlotte Gainsbourg’s confident presence as his confident, Emma. Forced together by Luis’ back-firing scams, the pair bring an intelligence and relative subtly to the film. Tenderness bubbles in the background. First Luis hires Emma as a phoney girlfriend who will jilt him at the alter, thus winning the sympathy of his family. It backfires when the shock nearly kills his mother, forcing the pair to reunite. Secondly Emma behaves abominably to terrify, upset and humiliate the women: they find her refreshingly honest.

Against all likelihood, Chabat and Gainsbourg convince as business partners who, inevitably, fall in love. While plot mechanics force an occasional groan, there are enough set pieces to keep things moving and the perfect kiss, signalled well before the lights went down, earns a contended sigh.

// COLIN FRASER