Moliere

Moliere

Cast: Romain Duris, Fabrice Luchini, Laura Morante, Ludivine Sagnier
Director: Laurent Tirard
Genre: Drama
Rated: PG
Running Time: 120 minutes

Synopsis: In the tradition of Shakespeare in Love, Moliere invents a fanciful yarn based on speculative historical fiction taken from a piece of real life and concocts a thoroughly irresistible and lavish story of intrigue, romance, comedy and artistic inspiration.

It is mid-seventeenth century Paris and Moliere is a long way from realising his legacy as the true master of comic satire, the author of "The Misanthrope" and "Tartuffe", and a dramatist to rank alongside Shakespeare and Sophocles. He is an impetuous 22 year-old, his theatre troupe is a failure, he is bankrupt and in prison because he can't pay his debts. When his jailors let him go, he disappears. The combined efforts of historians have unearthed no trace of him before his reappearance, several months later, when his troupe begins touring the provinces - a tour that lasted for thirteen years and culminated in Molière's triumphant return to Paris in 1658.

Director Laurent Tirard imagines Moliere's saviour as wealthy trader Monsieur Jourdain (the sublimely hilarious Fabrice Luchini). Jordain puts him up at the mansion and demands acting lessons, for he plans to woo a pretty, sharp-tongued Marquise (Ludivine Sagnier) by performing a self-composed play. Of course, the play is rotten and what's worse, Jourdain is married.

In an echo of Molière's "Tartuffe", the hapless thespian poses as a holy man, providing the cue for a lot of cunning misdirection and embarrassing mix-ups. And it wouldn't be a French farce without the added complication of Molière's growing affection for Jourdain's wife (Laura Morante). Yet there's a heartfelt story at the film's core, infused with the bittersweet romantic spirit of the playwright's work.

Moliere falls in love with Madame Jourdain and during an intricate intrigue - ripe with amorous entanglements, literary subterfuge and moments of pure wit - he comes to discover that comedy can plumb depths as profound as tragedy, yet raise the human spirit to an audience's delight.

As Moliere, the magnetic Romain Duris displays all of his usual seductive intensity, but also pulls off goofy Gallic charm. There's something of a modern rock star to him, almost a cousin to Johnny Depp's Captain Jack Sparrow. In addition there's a superb cast of actors, and visually viewers are taken on a sumptuous, wild ride through Versailles-era France. This absorbing romp has an infectious sense of fun that lingers well after the curtain falls.

Release Date: 1st May, 2008