Under The Rainbow – Review

Adroitly scripted and brilliantly acted, the erstwhile real life couple Jaoui-Pierre film Under The Rainbow has Gallicism at its comic best.

Replete not only with witty humor but also with love, life, romance, digression galore and edgy one-liners, the movie strives to appeal across the many age divides.

110 minutes of reel time notwithstanding, Under The Rainbow keeps the different age group viewers spell bound, satisfying more, displeasing much less. And as the dreams, hopes, aspirations of its diverse cast get realized or thwarted, the tumbling ground reality of life’s ephemeralness begins to make sense.

Laura [Agathe Bonitzer] the 24 year old eye candy and daughter of an industry big wig is all agog to meet the Prince Charming of her dreams.

Sandro [Arthur Dupont] it is; for doesn’t the winged statue point him out the minute Laura’s eyes light upon him at a party?

After a lot too many scenes parading captivating French locales where the awesome-twosome is out on a kissing spree, Laura begins to wonder whether it is Sandro, the actual Mr Right. No wonder for on the horizon hovers Maxime [Benjamin Biolay] a known womanizer intent as ever to ignite unholy passion and suck the juice of young females.

One can visualize to hear the viewers heave an audible sigh of relief when Laura realizes her folly and chooses Sandro.

Interwoven into this central theme are a mix of far too many characters, most important being Marianne [Jaoui], Laura’s aunt separated from Eric [Laurent Poitrenaux] who is directing a medieval romance while keeping an eye on the niece as well the 9 year old Bible-obsessed daughter and Sandro’s divorced father Bacri who is in the grip of a prophesy of his death though trying to come to terms with it.

The behind-the-steering-wheel bonding of these two middle aged characters over driving lessons peps up the movie no end.

Like a leaf out of an assorted fairy tale book, the mix-and-match brood of diverse characters all in their own way hooked to certain beliefs does not falter the heavily layered plot structure. With fairy tale references like Sandro losing shoe – Cinderella style – just when the clock chimes the midnight hour or Bacri getting obsessed with fortune teller Madame Irma’s predictions take the heaviness out of the story.

It goes to the credit of its maker that Under The Rainbow ties all the loose ends marvelously well by the time honors scroll.

Rating: 4 Stars

By Joseph R