Not that Thompson's films lack for romance. She shoots Paris like Woody Allen shoots New York--ritzy, golden, and packed with chance meetings between highly strung arty types.
Avenue Montaigne(Fauteuils d'orchestre)
✭ ✭ ✭ Read critic reviews
France · 2006
Rated PG-13 · 1h 46m
Director Danièle Thompson
Starring Cécile de France, Albert Dupontel, Laura Morante, Christopher Thompson
Genre Comedy, Drama, Romance
Add to Watchlist
Please login to add films to your watchlist.
Jessica, a young woman from the provinces, moves to Paris, where she finds a job as a waitress at a chic bistro on the Avenue Montaigne. Surrounded by upscale theaters and luxury apartments, she forms connections with many of the avenue's wealthy residents, including a pianist, a famous actress, and an art collector.
We hate to say it, but we can't find anywhere to view this film.
What are people saying?
What are critics saying?
Avenue Montaigne, is a delicious French pastry, tart and sweet, steeped in Parisian glamour.
ReelViews by James Berardinelli
The film uses effective acting, deft dialogue, and a sly wit to entertain, if not educate.
The Hollywood Reporter by Kirk Honeycutt
Bookending the film is the relationship between Jessica and the grandmother who raised her. This role is delightfully played by Suzanne Flon, who recently died at age 87. The film is dedicated to the veteran actress.
A well-oiled script is nicely served by a multigenerational cast, a bittersweet and consistently entertaining mainstream comedy that tackles the big themes of Life and Art with unpretentious brio.
Entertainment Weekly by Lisa Schwarzbaum
For Yank color in her soap-bubbly movie, director Daniele Thompson has her pal Sydney Pollack appear as...a famous director.
TV Guide Magazine by Maitland McDonagh
Thompson's stories are familiar, but she weaves them together with such assurance and good humor that they're equally soothing and thoroughly enjoyable.
The New York Times by Manohla Dargis
Avenue Montaigne is a bonbon, not a bouillabaisse. But because this is finally a film about desire, it carries a bittersweet tang.
Chicago Reader by Ronnie Scheib
Effortlessly interlinking the stories through the jaunty perambulations of a fresh-faced waitress from a local cafe, Thomson's crowd-pleaser makes up in refined schmaltz what it lacks in innovation or profundity.
A lightweight French comedy worth watching only for Cecile de France. The gamine actress - decked out in short reddish hair, black tights and a thigh-high mini - is charming as Jessica.
Users who liked this film also liked
The Interpreter
The truth needs no translation.
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- United Kingdom, France, Germany • 2005
- Director Sydney Pollack
- Cast Nicole Kidman, Sean Penn, Yvan Attal, Clyde Kusatsu, Catherine Keener, Jesper Christensen
- Genre Crime, Thriller
- Available on Netflix, Netflix basic with Ads, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, YouTube
Russian Dolls
(Les Poupées Russes)
A comedy-drama about the way things change — and the way they stay the same.
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- France, United Kingdom • 2005
- Director Cédric Klapisch
- Cast Romain Duris, Kelly Reilly, Audrey Tautou, Cécile de France, Kevin Bishop, Olivier Saladin
- Genre Comedy, Drama, Romance
- Available on Amazon Video, Kanopy
The Price to Pay
(Le Prix à payer)
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- France • 2007
- Director Alexandra Leclère
- Cast Christian Clavier, Gérard Lanvin, Géraldine Pailhas, Patrick Chesnais, Anaïs Demoustier, Maud Buquet
- Genre Comedy
- Available on No streaming locations found.
The Singer
(Quand j'étais chanteur)
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- France • 2006
- Director Xavier Giannoli
- Cast Gérard Depardieu, Cécile de France, Mathieu Amalric, Christine Citti, Patrick Pineau, Jean-Pierre Gos
- Genre Drama, Romance
- Available on No streaming locations found.
Skyfall
Even spies can't hide from the past.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- United Kingdom, United States • 2012
- Director Sam Mendes
- Cast Daniel Craig, Judi Dench, Javier Bardem, Ralph Fiennes, Naomie Harris, Bérénice Marlohe
- Genre Action, Adventure, Thriller
- Available on Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, YouTube
All That Glitters
(Tout ce qui Brille)
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- France • 2010
- Director Géraldine Nakache, Hervé Mimran
- Cast Leïla Bekhti, Géraldine Nakache, Audrey Lamy, Virginie Ledoyen, Linh-Dan Pham, Simon Buret
- Genre Comedy
- Available on Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, YouTube, Hoopla
Season's Beatings
(La Bûche)
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- France • 1999
- Director Danièle Thompson
- Cast Sabine Azéma, Emmanuelle Béart, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Claude Rich, Françoise Fabian, Jean-Pierre Darroussin
- Genre Drama, Comedy
- Available on No streaming locations found.
Marche à l'ombre
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- France • 1984
- Director Michel Blanc
- Cast Michel Blanc, Gérard Lanvin, Sophie Duez, François Berléand, Bernard Farcy, Mimi Félixine
- Genre Comedy
- Available on No streaming locations found.
Mr. Klein
An immoral art dealer in Nazi-occupied France is confused for a Jewish man
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- France, Italy • 1976
- Director Joseph Losey
- Cast Alain Delon, Jeanne Moreau, Francine Bergé, Juliet Berto, Jean Bouise, Suzanne Flon
- Genre Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller, War
- Available on Criterion Channel, Amazon Video
My Wife's Name Is Maurice
(Ma femme s'appelle Maurice)
- ✭ ✭
- France, Germany • 2002
- Director Jean-Marie Poiré
- Cast Régis Laspalès, Alice Evans, Götz Otto, Philippe Chevallier
- Genre Comedy
- Available on Amazon Video
Declaration of War
(La guerre est déclarée)
Wage A War On Disease.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- France • 2011
- Director Valérie Donzelli
- Cast Valérie Donzelli, Jérémie Elkaïm, Gabriel Elkaïm, Brigitte Sy, César Desseix, Elina Löwensohn
- Genre Drama
- Available on AMC+, AMC+ Amazon Channel, AMC Plus Apple TV Channel , Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Amazon Video, YouTube, Kanopy
Barbecue
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- France • 2014
- Director Eric Lavaine
- Cast Lambert Wilson, Franck Dubosc, Florence Foresti, Guillaume de Tonquédec, Jérôme Commandeur, Valérie Crouzet
- Genre Comedy
- Available on Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, YouTube, Tubi TV, VUDU Free, Hoopla
Summertime
(La belle saison)
When Carole follows Delphine back to her family farm in the conservative French countryside, the two find gay rights and feminism are not as easily accepted in the countryside.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- France, Belgium • 2015
- Director Catherine Corsini
- Cast Izïa Higelin, Cécile de France, Noémie Lvovsky, Laetitia Dosch, Kevin Azais, Loulou Hanssen
- Genre Comedy, Drama, Romance
- Available on Strand Releasing Amazon Channel, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, YouTube, Kanopy
Nobody Has to Know
(L'Ombre d'un mensonge)
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- France, Belgium, United Kingdom • 2022
- Director Bouli Lanners
- Cast Michelle Fairley, Bouli Lanners, Cal Macaninch, Clovis Cornillac, Julian Glover, Andrew Still
- Genre Drama
- Available on No streaming locations found.
What's Love Got to Do With It?
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- United Kingdom • 2023
- Director Shekhar Kapur
- Cast Lily James, Shazad Latif, Shabana Azmi, Emma Thompson, Sajal Ali, Oliver Chris
- Genre Romance, Comedy
- Available on Hulu, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, YouTube, Spectrum On Demand
The Taste of Things
(Le Pot-au-feu de Dodin Bouffant)
The story of Eugenie, a gifted cook, and Dodin, the fine gourmet with whom she has been working for over the last 20 years.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- France • 2023
- Director Tran Anh Hung
- Cast Juliette Binoche, Benoît Magimel, Pierre Gagnaire
- Genre Drama, History, Romance
- Available on Acorn TV, AcornTV Amazon Channel, AMC+, AMC+ Amazon Channel, AMC Plus Apple TV Channel , Acorn TV Apple TV, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, YouTube