HYPEBy Eunice Ng
The Lowdown
Don’t be fooled by the cheesy title and chick flick-esque DVD box cover. This movie proves that first impressions can be very wrong. Audrey Tautou, fresh from her role as the sweet, innocent girl in Amélie, plays Angelique, a talented young artist who is hopelessly in love with Loïc (Samuel Le Bihan), a married doctor. Angelique and Loïc seem to share a delightful extra-marital affair, until the whole movie rewinds and we start seeing things from Loïc’s point of view. Be prepared to get chills down your spine when you find out the real truth.
The Love
Not your typical single-girl-meets-married-but-unhappy-man movie, He Loves Me… He Loves Me Not has more to it than what the viewer first sees. With the use of the song “L-O-V-E” by Nat King Cole, and the bright pink hearts that decorate the opening credits at the start, one is immediately sucked into the world of Angelique – that of blissful, not-a-care-in-the-world love. There is more than meets the eye though, and Angelique is not as angelic as we are led to believe.
The Rest
While not many movies succeed at the rewind technique, He Loves Me… He Loves Me Not does considerably well. The movie does slow down a little at first, but as it goes on, more revelations dawn on the viewer that allow him to see the movie from a fresh perspective. Writer-director Laetitia Colombani also does a good job of using different shots for the repeated scenes. The wholesome image of pixie-faced Tautou is also perfectly exploited for the role, making it a pure delight to watch.
Rating: 3.5/5
DVD Info
English Title: He Loves Me… He Loves Me Not
French Title: À la folie… pas du tout
Language: French
Subtitles: English
Movie Release Date: Mar 27, 2002 (in France)
DVD Release Date: Aug 12, 2003
Rating: PG13
Run Time: 92 minutes
Special Features:
- Interview with Audrey Tautou
- Deleted Scenes
- Stills Gallery
- Alternative Ending
Where to get it: Video Ezy, Amazon.com