The Thousands

When did ‘romance’ turn into ‘romantic comedy’? Barring sometight-corsetted period pieces, Hollywood decided that audiences only wanted love stories if they came wrapped in self-depreciating pop-culture gags. Thank god the French don’t always feel the urge to befunny.

HUNTING & GATHERING is hardly dour, though. Claude Berri, the man behind classics like JEAN DEFLORETTE, has directed this deft little romance through his own health problems that mean it’s likely to be his final film.**Okay, okay – many reading this are only seeing the following words in 20-point neon font: Audrey Tautou. She possesses magical powers thateven her unintentionally hilarious role in THE DA VINCI CODE can’t diminish. Here, her usual big-eyed whimsy is tempered by a light frosting of realism. Berri’s Paris is still romantic, but not asself-consciously magical as Jeunet’s.

HUNTING& GATHERING is filled with moments you’ve seen before, but they’re redeemed with small, human tweaks. And if this all falls apart in the last 15 minutes and all the clichés of Hollywood romance are wholeheartedly embraced? It’s Christmas. As a wise man said in the greatest Christmas film of all time: “It’s Christmas, Theo. It’s the time of miracles.”