By Adam Ruhl
One of my favorite types of films to review is mainstream foreign
films that have not yet opened in America. There’s a thrill in being able to
draw attention to some really great movies that have been, up to this point,
somewhat obscure In this country, often due to something as small as a language
barrier. I hadn’t heard of ‘What’s in a
Name?’ until I had the chance to see it and now that I have I’m excited to talk
about it.
This is a comedy set in an apartment over a dinner party.
Vincent (Patrick Bruel) is an expectant father attending the party thrown by
his sister for himself and some of their friends. Things are going well until they
start a game to guess what the baby will be named. When Vincent announces the
name it snowballs into an evening of revelations, great arguments, and some
very funny dialogue. Things get heated almost like ‘Who’s Afraid of Virginia
Wolfe’ but with less venom.
The opening reminds me a lot of ‘Amelie’. There are a lot of
shots of moving through Paris traffic while a narrator gives us trivia and
background information on our characters. Once we settle into the plot the film
becomes a filmed play with most of the action all taking place in one
apartment. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a new film of this type and I
sorely missed the genre. Watching these characters verbally spar with each
other is absolutely captivating.
The film is from writer/director team Alexandre de La
Patellière and Matthieu Delaporte, based on their 2010 original play. It’s just
now opening in America but was released in France over a year ago (a major
source of pride for the production is that it opened against The Avengers and
had a higher opening weekend gross).
What’s in a Name? opens on VOD (Available on ITunes HERE) and in select theaters including
NYC's Cinema Village on December 13th.
Color
French
Language
109 minutes
Not Rated
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