Jacques Weber Movies

A man and a woman each learn a painful lesson about using others to get what you want in this drama from French director Catherine Corsini. Julien Demarsay (Eric Caravaca) is an aspiring novelist whose greatest ambition in life is to publish a book; however, he hasn't been able to get a publisher to seriously consider his manuscripts, and he's started becoming desperate. Julien arranges to meet Judith Zahn (Karin Viard), a well-respected editor; she doesn't think he's especially talented, but she does find him handsome, and they strike up an acquaintance that quickly leads to her bedroom. Julien is looking for ways to use his new relationship with Judith to his advantage, and in time he becomes aware of the true story of Judith's father, who went from being a pacifist philosopher to fighting with a revolutionary group in Latin America in the 1970's. Julien uses this story as the basis of a novel; when he completes it he presents it to Judith, who regards it as a betrayal of their trust and cuts off ties with him. Julien, however, is able to find a publisher who believes in the book, and it becomes a commercial success. Enraged, Judith begin mapping out a scheme to get revenge on her former lover. Les Ambitieux (aka Ambitious) was screened as part of the 2006 Rome International Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

A sexually frustrated husband learns to be careful what he asks for in this French marriage comedy from director Didier Bourdon. Their sex life virtually non-existent after only seven years of marriage, Alain (Didier Bourdon) and Audrey (Catherine Frot) rarely find time for bedroom hanky-panky as a result of Audrey's demanding job and her tireless devotion to their daughter Camille (Gabrielle Lopes Benites). Concerned that their marriage may be in trouble as he increasingly relies on pornography to fulfill his sexual needs, Alain consults a sex therapist for suggestions on how to re-awaken his wife's sexual appetite. Although some subsequent trips to nearby sex stores and steamy nightclubs at first make Audrey uneasy, hapless Alain soon finds himself getting more than he bargained for when his plan starts to work a little too well. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

Arthur Joffe directed this French comic fantasy, in French and English dialogue, about God (voice of Pierre Arditi), invisible and spinning through Heavenly space on an asteroid, along with his sidekick angel Rene (Ticky Holgado). God observes Earthly events on His television set. After hacking out a screenplay on the Hebrew keyboard of a manual typewriter, the Deity needs a director, lands as a burning bush in back of the Hollywood sign, finds Hollywood hostile, jumps to Paris, and travels from one body to another, eventually settling on tekkie Jeanne (Helene de Fougerolles), an employee at Harper Audiovisual. Faxes in Hebrew begin arriving, and Jeanne hears voices. With God's screenplay translated to French, it finally goes up to the 127th floor for an okay by Mr. Harper himself (Tcheky Karyo). But there's a problem -- God is not very happy about Mr. Harper's alterations, as he explains, "I wrote the Bible, the best-selling book of all time! Where do they get off editing my script?" ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide

This sumptuous French drama offers episodes from the notorious life of 18th century socialite and playwright Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais. The story begins in the 1770s with a rehearsal of his "The Barber of Seville." Young friend of Voltaire, Philipp Gudin introduces himself to the great playwright and offers to become his personal secretary. He then becomes the adventurous Beaumarchais' keeper as the author gets involved in a variety of situations including a duel with an angry husband, his battle with the corrupt French government and a serious long-term affair with Marie-Theres de Willer. It all comes to a climax when King Louis XV assigns the playwright a secret mission to London. There he must find and retrieve a damning document from transvestite aristocrat Chevalier D'Eon. Unfortunately, Beaumarchais gets tangled up with supporting American rebels and ends up tossed in jail. Louis XVI sees that he is finally released and then the writer becomes an arms smuggler for American revolutionaries. All of his activities bankrupt him and so Beaumarchais must return to writing plays. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

In this drama, filmed in a series of vignettes, a diverse cast of characters tries to pick up the pieces of their lives after Paul's ladyfriend commits suicide. Not only that, but Paul (Michel Piccoli) must cope with having four house guests, including an infant baby, the infant's recently separated mother, another child of hers, and an immature young woman who is the girlfriend of a rock band's lead singer. Their complex and demanding lives add to the distressed man's difficulty in coping with his bereavement and at the same time help pull him through it. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide

Pierre Lacenaire is among the most notorious killers in French history. This well-wrought drama, tells his story. It begins in 1836 as the icy but somehow charming and intellectual Lacenaire awaits his execution and through a series of flashbacks chronicles the events and reasons why he has ended up on Death Row. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Davide (Daniel Ezralow) is a young psychiatrist who is tormented by his own dreams in this psychological drama. Maddalena (Beatrice Dalle) is a beautiful but disturbed mental patient who resembles a woman Davide dreamed was burned at the stake after being convicted of witchcraft. Davide soon has trouble dividing fantasy and reality when he falls for Maddalena. A well-orchestrated dance scene and simulated orgy with clothed participants are the big production numbers. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide

A long parade of actors and actresses pop up in an unconnected series of skits, vignettes, and sight gags in this comedy anthology by Jean Curtelin. Among the sketches performed is one with Jean Carmet playing a man from the sticks woefully burdened with the challenge of getting through a dog food commercial on less than one tank of intelligible French. Another skit shows a silent duel between an airport custodian and an automatic door, while another with the renowned Michel Galabru sets up a strange teacher-student exchange. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

Shot in war-ravaged Beirut and Lebanon, this slightly uneven, but still very engaging and visually evocative, film is about a hardened young teen Samar (Hala Bassam) and her adjustments to life and love in a blighted city. Samar has toughened her response to death and bullets and missiles because that is all she has ever known, unlike her older friends who constantly long for life as they once knew it -- peaceful, and with promise for the future. In her constant wanderings among the rubble of the city, Samar's coolness toward war is an obvious defense against despair. In contrast to her reaction, is the reaction of the artist Karim (Jacques Weber) whose own anguish is expressed on his canvases. Samar starts to fall for the handsome Karim -- and he appreciates her inner strength -- but given their situation and viewpoints, a relationship seems just about impossible.
~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

In this clichéd, uneven, confusing melodrama about love and politics by Philippe Labro, Sacha (Nathalie Baye) is a divorced woman from the Left Bank of the Seine, out of a job because she refused to bestow sexual favors in the line of duty, and Paul (Gérard Depardieu) is a lawyer from the Right Bank whom she first rejects and then accepts when she sees his noble behavior on television. Paul has become well-established because of some shady moral compromises but suddenly finds his backbone when he turns against the crooked tycoon he had represented (Bernard Fresson) and does so on public television. Paul has given up everything for his love of Sacha, and now she is in danger from the vengeful tycoon -- not to mention Paul's irate wife. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

Engaged by the family of a murdered history writer to finish the man's last book, Marc begins to unravel the mystery of the man's death while bedding most of his female relatives. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide

Perrot (Fernando Rey) is a rich man. He is also a meddling, busybody art-hating wacko. It may be that he is a woman-hater as well, for he certainly causes enough trouble for the well-regarded writer, Françoise (Catherine Deneuve). Fortunately, she has resources of calmness and clairvoyance which enable her to endure the trials he engineers. The two first meet at an outdoor cafe, when she shocks him by offering to show him something special, unbuttons her coat, and is apparently nude underneath it. Obsessed, for obscure reasons, he arranges for her to meet with a man who has praised her books. Complications abound, but in this phantasmagorical comedy, Françoise proves equal to the challenge. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide