Coup de Chance

Tropic Sprockets by Ian Brockway

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The iconic auteur Woody Allen returns with a film completely in French titled “Coup de Chance.” The narrative, involving a marital affair, ego and murder belongs in the category of one of his most satisfying films in several years.

Fanny (Lou de Laâge) sees an old college friend on a Paris sidewalk. He is Alain (Niels Schneider) now a divorced struggling writer. Alain is somewhat shy but confesses a lifelong crush on her. Fanny is flattered. Both struck by the other, they tentatively agree to meet again.

Alain calls the next day and Fanny suggests a casual lunch in the park. The two friends immediately reunite, exchanging an easy rapport.

Fanny can’t shake Alain from her mind. He is everything Fanny looks up to: a person creative and unrestricted. She is held down by a tedious marriage to Jean (Melvil Poupaud) an attentive but stifling man.

Fanny’s meetings become more frequent. The controlling Jean becomes frustrated and possessive. He hires a detective to find out where his wife is spending her free time. The detective returns with news: Jean ‘s wife is cheating with Alain. Jean is devastated and his ego is bruised. The next day he meets with a killer and orders him to make Alain disappear.

Although this is familiar territory for director Allen, echoing previous work “Match Point,” the handling is so economical and smooth, full of hapless characters, that it packs a punch.

The egotistical male in the film is consumed and driven; he has no choice. The story is perfectly accented with classic dark humor.

Lou de Laâge and Melvil Poupaud are excellent as is Valérie Lemercier as Fanny’s curious mother.

Philosophically the film covers routine ground. This is another meditation on the relationship between fate and coincidence, and the nature of luck. In other hands, this might be tiresome, but the director has such a light yet sardonic touch, as eccentric as it is instantly recognizable, that all becomes both entertaining and enjoyable.

The sleight-of-hand that Woody Allen employs is fluid and easeful. He manages to bring his inimitable New York into the streets of Paris with a sly wink.

Write Ian at ianfree11@yahoo.com