iam I generally enjoy most of the French films that I see, but given the so-so ratings, I didn't know how satisfying this experience might be. I'm thrilled to say, I thoroughly enjoyed this one from start to picture-perfect finish. Though it's a bittersweet slice of life, as the story unfolds, you begin to feel that if you stay true to your ideals and your heart, sometimes life surprises you with a bonus when you least expect it. Audrey Tautou was as captivating as ever and you can truly believe why the other characters here - both women and men- are in awe of her. But she's more than just a pretty face - she's loyal to a fault and has the smarts to appreciate the true value of someone beyond a fancy façade. Francois Damiens is a revelation. This film truly showcases his comedic flare and without trying too hard, he elevates every scene he's in. As the low-key Swedish dumpling, it doesn't take long for an audience to fall in love with Markus either. In real life, opposites attract now and again so I found it completely believable that Nathalie would be floored by his intellect, humour, humility and low-vanity ways as much as he's besotted with her. If more people took their wise approach to relationships, it'd be a much happier world. All in all, this is a brilliantly crafted film. The characterization of office folks is realistic and hilarious. The music is the perfect accompaniment: refreshing and anticipatory. This timeless tale of rediscovering happiness after great loss has so many subtly funny moments. About the title: I'm wondering whether it alludes to Markus being a special fish out of water, far away from his Swedish homeland. Or perhaps, delicacy is a reference to how in matters of the heart, we ought to take extra care with others and refrain from judging by external appearance since we all have our own quirks and had our share of heartaches that leads to a desire to self-protect and maintain a sense of balance. All I know for sure, is that this film is a rare treat, not at all your garden variety offering. It's one-of-a-kind. Hooray for the underdogs. Hooray for storytelling that doesn't sock you with gratuitous violence, nudity, or foul language just to appear edgy. This film is the magic of small moments and ordinary people that reaffirm your appreciation for both the brevity of life and seizing golden opportunities while you can- even if it bucks conventional wisdom. We all have just one life to live- so we best enjoy!

gradyharp 'La délicatesse' is a lovely French dish written by David Foenkinos and directed by both David and Stéphane Foenkinos. Much of the success of this slightly to the edge story of the vagaries of love and life as they intertwine is due to the presence of the irresistible charm and charisma of lead actress Audrey Tautou. She is able to take this story that at times seems impossibly off track and keep it grounded in her sense of lightness and focus, making us believe that what actually happens to this character is truly quite possible.Nathalie Kerr (Audrey Tautou) is a successful businesswoman who happens to meet the rather unkempt but impish François (Pio Marmaï, an irresistibly charming actor) quite by accident (and an order of apricot juice) in a café. Nathalie is literally swept off her feet and rather quickly this spontaneous meeting of hearts results in blissful marriage. The perfect scenario ends tragically when François is accidentally kill. Nathalie's heart seems irreparable and she trudges through life bathed in grief and longing. Even her handsome boss Charles (Bruno Todeschini) can't woo her: Nathalie is frank in her objection that Charles is a married man. Then the door to her office opens and a subordinate nerdy appearing geek named Markus Lundi (François Damiens) walks in and Nathalie impetuously greets him with a passionate kiss - an act she represses thinking that such a deed was impossible. And this apparent one- sided accidental occurrence lightens Markus' life and he is committed to falling in love with the resistant Nathalie. The 'courtship' leads to Nathalie's recognition that love and happiness can happen in the most unexpected places and ways.Summarizing the story makes it sound trite and bordering on silly, but it is the delicately French manner in which it is told that makes the film so refreshingly endearing. The entire cast is first class (director Stéphane Foenkinos is best known as one of France's best casting directors!) but it is the glimmering lightness of Tautou and Marmaï and Damiens that make it sail. A perfect Valentine. Grady Harp

markpucuchu Some movies are best seen in their original language without subtitles, some dubbed in your own language and some just with subtitles. La Delicatesse is a film which should be seen in French without subtitles which is how it impacts the viewer most. And rather than the 6 it gets on average rises to a more deserved 8.5 IMO. Romantic comedy for those in need of love. Works if you're in or out of a relationship. I still don't get the reason Nathalie kisses Marcus but everything after that makes sense, even feels very realistic as I can associate with most of the elements of the central theme of the movie, from Marcus's point of view to her boss's point of view having encountered both situations. The film is sweet and carries you on a dream, but isn't this what films are best for? Makes very nice viewing on cold winter nights.

DICK STEEL Expectations can be such a bitch, when pre-conceived notions formed by others become shattered when reality dawns upon them. It can apply to many areas, but in a romantic comedy, it almost certainly applies to how one perceives the other half that a friend had chosen. And I suppose for the girls if their friend's new beau doesn't come tall, dark and handsome, but balding, goofy and awkward, then there will be bewilderment that will take on a life of its own around the gossip mills.The debut feature of directors David and Stephane Foenkinos, adapting from the former's novel, Delicacy turned out to be not what one expected, with scenes played out in rather individualistic fashion, and ultimately never finding a natural rhythm of pacing. It's a classic case where the sum of all its parts turned out to be rather rote and hardly surpassing the brilliance of ideas injected into individual episodes, making it a rather rough ride where you'd constantly wonder just where the story is heading.The draw here is of course Audrey Tautou, playing yet another strong female character whose whirlwind romance with Francois (Pio Marmai) comes to a full stop when the inevitable happens, in a scene where I was expecting a vehicle to hit Francois on the screen from right to left. Well that wish got unfulfilled, but Francois does succumb to injuries and Tautou's Nathalie Kerr becomes a widow, devoting herself to her work for the next three years, before discovering opportunities for a fresh love life comes knocking on her door again. And all these serving as the prologue, while being really inconsequential to everything else that came after, and could have sped up the pacing to get to the crux of the story instead.And that's the new chapter of her life predominantly set in her workplace, where her boss Charles (Bruno Todeschini) tried to hit on her, and her fellow work group mate Markus Lundl (Francois Damiens) becomes comically attracted to her because of her sudden and unexpected, one off advances where she kisses him out of the blue. The rest of the film deals with their romantic dalliances, with some nice touches to dialogues given Markus' deadpan humorous streak, and self-deprecating jokes that gets delivered with a straight face. But it's true, I suppose for those who don't have what it takes on the outside, being a funny man definitely works wonders, and Markus soon has Nathalie eating out of his hand, not that he could handle the attention anyhow.While the romance doesn't really work out that well, what did work are the little background events that anyone working in an office will encounter from time to time, and these are the most fun, with gossips spreading like wildfire, and how sometimes we get easily offended by others who tend to be quick to pass judgement on who we are from glimpses on the outside. Audrey Tautou is at her pixie best in a role somewhat failed to challenge the actress, with Francois Damiens upstaging her in almost every aspect and scene, thanks to having portray a more interesting character complete with insecurities and quirks that is easily identified with by anyone - you will feel his pain when being compared with the Ideal, Perfect Man, who exists only in minds and not in real life, and being quite the good sport and feeling quite comfortable with himself when his shortcomings are mocked at.Delicacy turned out to be a rather choppy ride, with a rather erratic pacing and structure that seemed to branch off and take on a life of its own, rather than to be in sync to form a more coherent narrative. Still, it's down to the chemistry of the leads when playing the unlikeliest of couples both in social standing, looks and attitudes, without whom this delicacy would have turned out to be a bland affair.