Paris 2008

Cédric Klapisch, whose When the Cat's Away and The Spanish Apartment delighted in the bonds of tight community, here extends his attention to all of Paris. This multi-character cavalcade of life and death and love and the lack of it in the City of Lights almost seems intended to leave audiences wanting more. Romain Duris plays a cabaret dancer awaiting heart surgery. Juliette Binoche is his social-worker sister who moves in to help. Local stallholders are among the many whose lives intersect with hers. Carpe diemis the message and Fabrice Luchini plays a jaded history professor who does just that with a beautiful young student. Sacré-Coeur, Père Lachaise and numerous other iconic locations are wittily incorporated, but less frequented venues such as Rungis, the massive wholesale food market, are just as seductive.