Isabelle Candelier Movies

Gladiator duo Ridley Scott and Russell Crowe re-team for this adaptation of author Peter Mayle's best-selling novel about a London-based investment banker who relocates to Provence in hopes of selling a small vineyard he has inherited from his recently deceased uncle. As a child, Max Skinner (Freddie Highmore) was taught to appreciate the finer things in life while wandering the vineyard estate of his sophisticated uncle Henry (Albert Finney). Life has a strange way or turning out how you least expect it to though, and 25 years later, Max (Russell Crowe) is now a prosperous moneyman wheeling and dealing in the cutthroat world of London business. When Max learns that Henry has recently passed away and that he has been named the sole beneficiary of his late uncle's modest estate, the keen businessman hastily arranges a flight to France in order to assess the value of the old property and get it prepped for sale. After Max arrives to find the vineyard in a crumbling state of disrepair, his troubles are further compounded by the stubbornness of gruff estate winemaker M. Duflot (Didier Bourdon) and the unexpected arrival of a determined California beauty named Christie (Abbie Cornish), who presents herself as a long-lost cousin while making a dubious claim to Henry's estate. Meanwhile, the overstressed Max reluctantly finds himself falling for local café owner and town siren Fanny (Marion Cotillard), whose formidable guard is quickly worn down by the smitten beneficiary. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

The foibles of a group of genial eccentrics scattered through the city of Nantes set the stage for this comedy-drama, taking place during one particular Wednesday. Martin Socoa (Vincent Lindon) is a well-meaning loser juggling more than his share of problems when, after a marathon card game, he remembers it's his day to look after Victoria (Victoria Lafaurie), his daughter from his first failed marriage. It's an especially bad day for Martin to play babysitter; he needs to close an important deal at work, he has a court date involving unpaid alimony, and his girlfriend (Catherine Frot) thinks its time she gave him the boot. Meanwhile, a group of kids discover a three-year-old who has managed to wander away from his parents, and they watch after him for the rest of the day, preferring not to get any grownups involved. Elsewhere, as Chief of Police Pelloutier (Olivier Gourmet) has to deal with unrepentant shoplifter Marie Therese (Armelle), his wife Marie (Anne Le Ny) prepares for a trip out of town related to her position in the Navy, even though she's in the last month of pregnancy. And two pairs of love-struck teenagers each figure out their own ways to slip away from their parents as they set out for a romantic trip on the Loire River. The film's French title, Mercredi, Folle Journee!, roughly translates into English as Wednesday -- Crazy Day!; one unstated plot point that may be lost on audiences outside Europe is that many French schools are traditionally closed on Wednesdays. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Two people with little in common enter into a brief, impulsive love affair in this comedy-drama. Pierre (Jacques Gamblin) is the leader of an improvisational comedy team known as The Unpredictables, who specialize in blending unnoticed into social functions and large gatherings, then making comic mayhem out of their surroundings. Pierre and his partners Karim (Zinedine Soualem) and Alice (Isabelle Candelier) have been hired to provide entertainment at a conference for employees of a large pharmaceutical firm, where they'll pose as waiters and create humor out of improbable dining suggestions. One guest who is quite taken with their performance is Claire (Sandrine Bonnaire), who finds herself attracted to Pierre, even though she's been happily married for eight years and has two children at home. The morning after the conference, Claire discovers she's missed her train, and bumps into The Unpredictables; Pierre helpfully offers her a ride in their van, and Claire accepts. On a whim, Claire tags along for the troupe's next gig, a performance at a wedding reception, and the more time she spends with Pierre, the more she finds herself thinking about leaving her old life behind, if only for a while. Mademoiselle was the third feature from writer and director Philippe Lioret, one of the few movie soundmen who has graduated to directing feature films. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

An actor who does not suffer fools gladly finds himself replaced by one in this comedy. The citizens of a French village decide to celebrate their history by staging a play that will chronicle memorable events from the town's past. The play's author, Alexis (Patrick Ligardes), casts his wife Janine (Isabelle Candelier) in the leading female role despite her odd way of delivering dialogue. However, for the male lead, Alexis hires an arrogant professional actor from Paris, Jean-Pascal Faix (Jean-Luc Porraz). The village simpleton, Andre (Michel Vuillermoz), has volunteered to serve as a stagehand and prompter. When Andre mistakenly leads Jean-Pascal into a trash dumpster that's soon dragged away, he's convinced (falsely) that he's killed the Parisian actor -- and is determined to take his place so that the show will go on. Andre le Magnifique was adapted from a stage farce that was a major hit in Paris, winning five Moliere awards (the French equivalent of the American Tony Award). ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

In this 122-minute sequel to the 47-minute Versilles -- Rive Gauche (1991), the brothers Bruno and Denis Podalydes provide the central installment of their trilogy of films named after different Versailles train stations. Awkward Albert (Denis Podlydes), a balding nerdy sort, is a soundman working on a political campaign spot in Toulouse where Albert and his buddy Otto (Jean-Noel Broute) donate blood in order to connect with attractive nurse Sophie (Isabelle Candelier). Attending a nature-film premiere in Paris, Albert becomes so shaken by his desire for journalist-filmmaker Anna (Jeanne Balibar) that he begins vomiting, interpreted by Anna as a compliment. Cop Corinne (Cecile Gouillot) is also attracted to Albert. Shown at the 1998 Locarno Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide

In this French slapstick comedy, a boozy boxer, is again beaten to a pulp in the ring and decides to head for the Mediterranean resort of Norbonne where his brother owns a pizza wagon. En route he teams up with an aspiring con man, who has also been beaten up. As they travel southward, they meet many odd characters and have a variety of madcap adventures. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide